Destiny at a Different Angle
by Jade TeaLeaf
Summary: Confused by his strange dreams, a kittypet must seek out his destiny. But soon he will learn that there is more to him than any cat predicted. With a guiding spirit and his friends, he must find a way to survive in the wilderness of the outside world.
1. The Cat at the Window

**Well, I wanted to write this story just today. I was just at Erin Hunter's book signing and the Warriors story kept turning in my head. And this morning, I just woke up and the idea was in my head when I was eating breakfast. So here it is. I hope you like it. I'm quite proud of this chapter.**

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**The Cat at the Window**

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It all started with a cat on the window. No. It started long before that. It all started in a forest that was old and sacred to all its inhabitants, namely the Clans. Of course, the the forest is gone now, the trees ripped out of their home, along with the wild cats. They had long left their beloved home to find someplace new to settle in.

Now, they stay near a large expanse of lake, happy, but they still miss that home that was their birth right. They hadn't forgotten about their mystical Star Clan or the terror that one particularly ambitious cat brought. Those memories and beliefs still stayed with them, and will stay with them probably for forever.

Our story begins with a dark brown tabby tom, just barely six moons old.

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_It was dark and everything glowed eerily even though there was no moon. He was in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by tall, brown towering objects with small papery green things jutting out from the tops. He padded up to it cautiously, holding his breath as if that thing could just jump out at him. When he crept up close enough to it, he sniffed at it testily. Its smell was strange and unexplainable to him, yet it was somehow familiar. He put his forepaw before him, gently digging his claws into the rough exterior, watching it carefully for some reaction. But nothing happened._

_"Welcome." Tigger spun around and gaped at a cat standing right in the middle of the clearing. He was certain that he wasn't there before, and if he wasn't, he didn't hear him approaching. Instinctively, Tigger arched his back, making his fur stand on end as he hissed threateningly._

_"I'm not here to fight," the cat replied nonchalantly, his ice blue eyes flashing. Tigger let his fur lie flat and stopped hissing, though he wasn't fully convinced. He narrowed his eyes, adjusting his vision to the darkness. He was surprised to see that the cat looked almost exactly like him, though he was much older._

_"Who are you?" It took all his courage and self-control for him to address the stranger with some confidence and dignity._

_"Well I suppose you won't recognize me. I figured you wouldn't," the stranger meowed._

_"What do you mean?" Tigger was now a little unsure about where this conversation was going. Had he met this cat before? Where was he? Why's he talking to him?_

_"I mean that we've met before in a... different time," the cat answered, "I've been watching over you since the very moment you were born."_

_"Since I was... born?" This only puzzled Tigger even more. He couldn't be his father- he had never even met him. And he was sure he wasn't his brother. Who was he?_

_"I'm Hawkfrost," the cat meowed, as if reading his mind._

_"Hawkfrost," Tigger repeated the name. Hawkfrost nodded slowly, as if he was expecting something to be said- perhaps recognition?_

_"My name is-"_

_"Tigger," Hawkfrost's eyes flashed with annoyance, "A stupid kittypet name!" Hawkfrost emphasized the word "kittypet" with an extra hint of contempt and Tigger flinched at the harsh words. _

_He didn't think Hawkfrost would turn on him so suddenly, but then the mysterious cat seemed to calm down as he padded towards him. He didn't know what to do! Fight? Run? _

_Afraid, the small cat took a small step backward. Sensing his nervousness, Hawkfrost stopped in mid-step. He decided it best that he just tell the cat the news from farther away, where he wouldn't feel too threatened._

_"There are important things I have to tell you. But for now, you have to find your own way back."_

_"What do you mean? How do you know my name? Who are you?" Tigger asked, growing bolder with each question. _

_Hawkfrost opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as if he were aware of something. He hissed in annoyance, revealing two sharp, milky white teeth._

_"Tigger! Tigger! Wake up!" A voice boomed in his ears._

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Tigger woke with a start to his brother's yowling. He wasn't normally so active in the morning.

"Wha'?" he muttered groggily. _It must've all been some dream. Just a crazy dream._ He plopped his head back on the couch, breathing in the familiar scent. Although glad to be home, he couldn't help but wish that it were real- that he was special enough to be watched over. By who or what, he didn't know. But whatever it was, it considered him important.

"Tigger! The housefolk have dropped tuna all over the floor and they're letting us eat it! Hurry up!" At the news, Tigger was off the couch and springing for the kitchen.

"Where? Where?" He scanned the entire floor for any of the scrumptious morsels he loved so much. He heard an amused _mrrow_ from his right.

"You lied to me!" he meowed in annoyance at the pale gray tom. His brother simply flicked his tail back and forth teasingly.

"Sorry, you should've been faster," he purred, rolling on his stomach as if he were full. Huffing, Tigger padded past him, cuffing his ears playfully in the process. He should've known Chess to do something like this. It was just in his nature to be the silly little furball he is!

"Hey, you should thank me," he said as he got back on his paws, "You were sleeping longer than usual today. I was just making sure you weren't dead."

"I was just having a nice, long dream," Tigger replied as he returned to his favorite couch, curling up.

"It can't be _that_ interesting that you have to go back to sleep, is it?"

"Of course not! I just don't feel like playing with you right now," Tigger replied. Sometimes he felt that the best possible way to punish his brother was just ignoring him.

"Why not?" Chess sulked.

"Because I don't want to," Tigger yawned, thinking back to the dream. It was more vivid than any other dream he had. He could rarely ever recall his dreams when he woke up. And usually, his dreams were either about food or his brother growing so fat he couldn't move, and boring things like that. Nothing quite as unique as the one last night. And that cat, Hawkfrost, looked nothing like any cat he'd ever seen before- except himself.

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a crushing weight land squarely on his shoulders.

"Try to get away from this!" Chess meowed as he gripped his ear between his teeth.

"Get off!" Tigger thrust his head up, feeling the back of his head bump his adversary on the nose. In shock, he released his ear and Tigger swiped at Chess's forepaws, feeling triumphant as his brother tripped to the ground.

But Chess wasn't done yet. Standing on his hind legs, he brought his full body weight down on his brother. Familiar with this move, Tigger twisted out of the way and jumped neatly on his back, bringing his brother crashing to the ground.

Quickly, he pinned his paws on his neck, forcing him to keep still.

"Give up?" he gloated.

"Cheater," Chess complained. That was good enough for him. Tigger leapt off his brother and back on the couch. The victory was no big deal. It was already one of many anyways. It was as if he'd outgrown rough-housing with his brother since it wasn't as fun or as difficult as it used to be. Since they were kits, they were inseparable and his mother always called them "the little furballs of energy". But now, it just wasn't enough of a challenge.

He was always the stronger, faster, and bigger of the two, but at the moment, he couldn't tell if he was growing as some sort of fighter or if Chess was simply getting too fat and lathargic from all the housefolk food.

"So what's that dream all about anyways?" He felt the couch cusion sink a little as Chess scrabbled up on top. Tigger closed his eyes, picturing the scene and all that happened there, recollecting his dream before he spoke.

"I don't know where I was, but there were huge, tall things that were brown, skinny, and rough with tiny green stuff hanging on the top. Do you know what those are?"

"Never heard of them," Chess meowed. Tigger was grateful that he didn't start making fun of him right at that moment. He just couldn't stand being humiliated- even if it was only by his own brother.

"... And it was dark and there was this cat that appeared out of nowhere," he continued, "And... and he knew my name and said he knew me and he looked just like me, only with blue eyes! And he said that there was something important he had to tell me, and that I had to find my way back. Back _where_?!" Tigger spun around to see Chess staring at him quizzically. He didn't mean to get all riled up about the dream, but just thinking about it excited him.

"It was just a dream. You don't have to go crazy about it," his brother mewed.

"But I have a feeling that it means something!" Tigger insisted, "Haven't you ever felt that-" His voice was caught off by a sight at the window.

"Who's _that_?" he jumped up on the windowsill and pressed his nose against the window screen, trying to get a better angle to look. _These things are so annoying! Why do humans even need them?_

And right there, it was unmistakable. Sitting on the porch railing next to his, he spotted a handsome calico cat. It wasn't the fact that he was also a male and was around the same age that bothered Tigger, but the fact that he was talking to Nala, the pretty white cat next door. He felt jealousy surge up through him as he stared at the newcomer.

_How dare he! She's mine!_

"Get lost!" he hissed. That obviously caught the cat's attention, for he looked right at him. Noting that he was out of his reach, the stranger dismissed the thought of any threat and carried on with his conversation as if he wasn't even there.

"What's going on?" Chess meowed from another room. Tigger had no time to explain as he began pushing at the screen, trying to sink his teeth in it. And then he noticed a small, ripped opening in the lower corner. His tail lashing violently from side to side, he shoved his nose past it and started nudging it wider. Finally, he could grasp it between his teeth as he pulled at it with all his might, feeling it give way slightly.

Glad that he was still a kitten, Tigger found himself small enough to be able to wriggle through- just barely. He stuck his head through and shouldered his way past up to his belly. He grimaced as he felt the edges press painfully against his fur. _Am I stuck?_ He was about to panic as he struggled, kicking his back legs out.

With a final push, Tigger fell onto the porch clumsily. But he was back on his paws instantly and jumped expertly on the railing. He felt the wind blast against his face and cautiously, he looked down and felt his heart start thrumming faster against his chest. He was so high up!

His housefolk had never let him get on the railing before! He noticed small figures passing below him. He leaned closer, identifying them as housefolk. _Who knew they could look so small? And think of it! Those pigeons get to see them this way every single day!_ And then he noticed the monsters stopping and going on their black paths, carrying their housefolks in their bellies.

Of course, Tigger always knew that they weren't really eaten, they got in by themselves and could get out whenever they wanted. He was in one more than once. He looked away, the sight and clamor of the Outside was making him dizzy. And he started shaking- not because he was scared or nervous- but because he was excited! He never felt like this in his entire life! He could do whatever he pleased and none of his meddling housefolk were here to stop him!

Then he remembered what he was here for. Setting his gaze on the other porch, he wriggled his haunches, estimated the distance, ran, and sprung. He felt as if he were flying and he felt so free, he almost yelled in his excitement. And then fear gripped him as he felt himself plummeting down.

_Land on the porch! Land on the porch! Land on the porch!_ He chanted in his head as he screwed his eyes shut.

"Oomf!" he cried out when he felt a sudden impact on his paws. Skidding to a halt, he opened his eyes, relieved to be alive. Heaving a steady sigh, he looked back and saw that he overshot the distance and had jumped right into the center of the porch instead of the railing. He felt his heart swell with pride and accomplishment. He never knew he could jump that far!

And then he looked up and saw Nala and the calico staring at him in shock.

"Tigger!" the Nala's worried voice called from behind the window, "What were you thinking? Are you alright?" But Tigger ignored her and glared at the stranger sitting on the railing. Finally! He was going to pay attention to him and consider him a threat!

"Go away!" Tigger hissed, preparing to leap up at him, "I'll claw you if you ever talk to her again! She's mine, you hear me? _Mine_!"

"What do you mean, _yours_?!" He heard Nala's voice but he ignored her.

"You have no manners," the cat remarked simply.

"_What_?!" Tigger snarled as he flexed his unsheathed claws.

"You... have... no... manners..." the cat reiterated slowly, "Are you deaf?" With a short _mmrow!_ he jumped over him and landed just behind him. Before Tigger could even turn around, the stranger was gone, jumping from porch to porch with expert grace. Awed and angry, Tigger called out to him.

"You're not getting away from me!" he yowled.

"You've got to catch me first!" the stranger yowled back with a mocking flick of his tail. Not one to give up in the face of competition, Tigger leapt up to the railing and jumped from porch to porch in pursuit. Nala called out to him, no doubt trying to change his mind, but Tigger blocked her voice out. Nobody was going to stop him now!

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**I hoped you liked it. I had a lot of fun writing it. The name Tigger was from Winnie the Pooh and I thought it was a really cute name for a kittypet. Chess is short for the Cheshire Cat (you know, that creepy cat in Alice in Wonderland that scares all the toddlers?) And Nala is a character from the Lion King and it was the name of cat that lived in my neighborhood once. I miss her :(**

**What does Hawkfrost mean? What does he want? What's so special about Tigger? What do you think about the story so far? **

**Oh yeah, and that thing that confused Tigger before was a tree. Yes, as an indoor cat that lives in the cities, he's never seen a tree before. How sad.**

**Please REVIEW! It kinda helps with my writer's morale. Any ideas, comments, suggestions, constructive criticism, questions, etc. is greatly appreciated. I don't mind any harsh reviews because this is not my first fic, so I can deal with it. ;)**

**Jade TeaLeaf**


	2. Brush with Death

**Alright, here's chapter 2. Special thanks to all who reviewed that critical first chapter: MangaHottie740, DPBCLover, Zinachu, Adderstar of Valorclan, Jarrtail, Cinnamonpool, Foxstar24, and Tinselpool (I'm so very sorry for forgetting to mention you earlier). Thank guys, you're the best! :D**

**According to Foxstar24, calicos are supposed to be sterile, and I was meaning to change the appearance of the calico cat, but I decided not to. Just please, ignore that little fact.**

**Now that this beginning author note is over with, here's the story.**

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**Brush with Death**

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Something within him roared to life as he chased the cat. It felt like something deep- something strongly rooted inside him. Never in his life did he feel such exhilaration! He could feel himself gaining on the chase, almost as if he were the fastest thing in the world.

And then up ahead, the rows of balconies ended. With nowhere for the cat to run, Tigger slowed down, feeling free to gloat at his apponent while he closed in on him easily. But he certainly didn't expect the cat to jump to the side and disappear.

Shocked, Tigger quickly padded up to where he vanished. He hissed with frustration as he witnessed the wiry cat slipping down a flight of stairs. It looked like a long way down- one wrong move could be dangerous- but Tigger didn't care.

_If he can do it, so can I!_

Without a second thought, he jumped onto the rusty, metal stairs, feeling it shake brittly and waver slightly at his weight. He held his breath as the stairway slowly slowed to a halt. Letting out a sigh of relief, he peered down to see that irritating cat looking up at him from the ground- bored, as if he had waited there all day.

Pulling his lips back in a snarl, Tigger raced down the shaky stairs, wary of where he placed his paws. He had reached the end slower than he had hoped and the cat had already left his post.

"Dog dung!" he spat.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a mottled brown tail disappear behind a corner. Weaving frantically between the long, stick-like twoleg legs, he hoped that he could at least catch up to him. But when he turned, the corner, it was a dead end- and the cat was gone.

The alley was created by wo tall, closely-spaced walls , and in the middle of the path was a smaller brick wall. The walls were too high for any cat to jump, there were no cracks to crawl through, and there was nothing there that was tall enough to help him over the obstacle. How could a cat just turn missing like that?

Disappointed and confused, Tigger padded toward the dead-end path for closer inspection. The wall was cracked in several places and it seemed as though the twolegs had etched strange and colorful markings on it. And off to the corner was a large, shiny, metal, box-like object. Tigger stepped forward for a closer inspection but he really didn't need to _see_ what it was. The smell told him everything already- it was one of those things that carried two-leg filth.

Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Tigger gave the twoleg litterbox a wide berth. With a stench like that covering the cat's scent, there was no way Tigger could track him. In fact, there were so many unfamiliar smells in the area, just trying to focus on scenting one thing would have been overwhelming for the inexperienced kittypet. And then something caught his attention. There, underneath the stinking box, safely tucked away from view, was a small opening.

Holding his breath, Tigger approached the hole carefully. Crouching on his belly and leaning close, he noticed that it was a deep hole partly covered by a flat, circular object that was studded by little pebbles. It was the only explanation for the cat's sudden disappearance, but it was so daring and dangerous.

Tigger couldn't help but feel some respect for the cat for being brave enough to go through such a path. And he couldn't help but feel proud of himself too- for making the cat so desparate for an escape that he had to crawl down a dark, musty-smelling hole.

_Should I go down there? Where does it go? What's in there? What if the hole closes when I'm in there?_ Tigger instantly pushed those discouraging thoughts aside, replacing them with words that inflated his confidence. _If he can, I can too. No cat's going to escape from me that easily- not if I can help it. Only cowards run away from challenges! _

Taking a deep breath, he wedged himself underneath the giant, bulky box and felt for the rim of the hole. It was cold and metallic and a sound of slow-flowing water came out of it. Tigger hesitated before poking his face inside, his eyes adjusting to the darkness.

As far as he could tell, the hole wasn't very deep and if he were to fall, it would have been the equivalent of jumping off the kitchen table. And then there was a small path near the ground. Tigger twisted his head around and swiveled his ears, alert for anything else in there- anything that would surprise him. He relaxed slightly when he didn't notice anything suspicious. Inhaling another deep breath, Tigger leaped down the hole, focusing on landing on his paws.

The ground was of rough, wet concrete and Tigger coughed at the smell, which was much stronger there than on the surface. He glanced around the area once more just to be safe before he padded towards the narrow tunnel. He supposed that it was big enough for a full-grown cat, but it would have to get on its belly and crawl through.

For Tigger, he only had to crouch slightly and lower his head. It was a long stretch and Tigger hissed in annoyance as he found himself stepping in small pools of shallow water. But at least Tigger didn't have to worry about getting lost, since had only seen one path so far, so there was no way he could get lost.

And then, he noticed the tunnel's end coming to view. Stepping out of the cramped space, he found himself in another large chamber, shafts of light trickling down. _At least I know that I'm somewhere near the surface._

The only opening he could pass through was on the wall to his right. It was like a metal cage, rusted and deteriorated to the point where a large gap formed. Tigger was slightly uneasy, since he could hear the sloshing of water on the other side. But there was nowhere else he could go, and he certainly wasn't going to turn back!

Flicking his ears, the dark tabby padded into yet another dark entrance and he was beginning to wonder when it would ever end. The tunnel wasn't very long, for it came to an abrupt stop where there was a rough torrent of water rushing through. Tigger stood at the edge, looking at the sight around him with awe.

He had never seen so much water in his life. It seemed to come pouring out from multiple tunnels, and flow down as one into a dark abyss. He swallowed dryly. Did that cat dare to continue walking down along the river? Or maybe in the opposite direction? Could have swam through the water? Was it possible that the cat went in there? _No, he'd have to be mad!_

Tigger opened his mouth partially, scenting the rank smell of the underground place. With a slight hint of hesitation, he breathed in deeper and then, he caught the scent! It was very faint, but now Tigger was sure that the cat was heading in the opposite direction of the water.

Padding quietly and swerving around puddles, Tigger came upon several different other tunnels and cracks. He sniffed them all expirementally, carefully distinguishing the stale scents from the fresher ones. If he did anything wrong, he could be stuck in the tunnels forever and he had to trust his nose or go back. He felt his heart sink as he couldn't decide between two tunnels.

"This is impossible," Tigger whispered half-heartedly, "I might as well turn back now."

_"Try again! You must be able to use your nose. There will come a time when you will be able to master your tracking..."_

Tigger whirled around, startled by the hushed voice in his ear. Where he had expected a cat, he found nothing. Something about that voice unnerved him slightly, but he shook that thought out of his head. After all, this was definately not the time to get immersed in nonesense and pure imagination. But still, encouraged by the mysterious words, he obeyed.

He breathed in the scent of both entrances, focusing and honing in on his abilities. It was a difficult choice, but he decided that the tunnel to the left was more recent. Hoping that he chose well, he padded into the unknown.

The path swerved, rose, and dipped this way and that, until Tigger wasn't quite sure if he was going in circles. He didn't have to worry about any more paths, though, since he could easily scent that the cat hadn't used those for a long time. The very fact that the cat had used so many tunnels and pathways astounded him. It seemed as if he knew his way in the underground.

And telling from the fact that he could only scent one cat, it had to be his own little secret. Tigger felt a bit of envy. It must have been fun for that stray, being alone with this place all to himself, keeping it a secret from every cat. It was something that set him apart from all the others. And then envy was replaced by pride as Tigger realized the importance of his discovery.

_And to think, I'm one of the few cats that even knows about it! I bet that if every cat knew about this place, it would by swarming by now!_

Up ahead, the tunnel produced a bright light that marked the exit. Already having grown used to the darkness, the tabby's eyes stung in response to even a bit of simple sunlight, but he pressed on.

He found himself in a crack in the wall similar to the one he came by. Eager to be free from the dark, Tigger leapt out, shaking his fur dry in the process. The crack was well-concealed by bundles of human filth and Tigger began to wonder if the entire twoleg nest was like this. Padding out of the alley and into the streets, Tigger couldn't help but stare in wonderment at the sights of the giant twoleg nests. He could usually see them from his home, but they always looked so small and far away.

Meandering through the crowds of twolegs and peering in at windows, Tigger had forgotten what he had come here for. The cat forgotten, Tigger was left to his own curiosity. He wandered throughout the paths, inspecting everything he was unfamiliar with. It seemed that he could go on forever and this strangely intoxicating world of sights would never end or cease to amaze him.

However, his innocent little experiences were only harmless and amusing up until the point where he spotted a pigeon pecking at the ground futilely. Tigger was immediately reminded of his hunger, since he hadn't eaten a thing all day. Instinctively, Tigger crouched low to the ground, anticipating the rush of power and accomplishment.

But the pigeon seemed to sense his presence prematurely and flapped its wings, preparing to fly out of his reach. Abandoning his stealth, Tigger leapt forward only to be avoided by a small margin. The pigeon flew away, low to the ground as if it was mocking him.

Determined to emerge victorious in _this_ chase, Tigger scrambled after it, barely being able to navigate as he kept his eyes focused on the pigeon. Whenever the pigeon was just within reach, it somehow seemed to shoot forward evasively while Tigger followed it at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, the dark tabby didn't notice when he had wandered into the middle of the Monster Path.

_Screeeeeeeeeeeeech!_

Skidding to a halt, Tigger froze to the spot when he saw the large, silver monster barreling towards him. As the monster blotted his vision, he felt as if his legs turned to ice and he instantly froze, crouching low to the ground. With another screech, the monster swerved around him- missing his face by a whisker length. Another loud roar alerted him of another oncoming monster.

Snapping out of his daze, Tigger scrambled despartely for the gray path that marked safety. Tigger didn't know how close to death he was, since he was too focused on getting away. It seemed to him as if everything in his vision was all a blur and that the length between him and that gray path stretched out.

As he leapt for the slightly raised ledge of the concrete, he felt the wind ruffle his fur as the blaring yowl of a monster hurdled past him. He staggered around, confused by the noxious scent of monsters. That sickening scent stung his eyes and filled his nostrils as he gagged. Never in his life did he think that they were so fierce! They usually seemed quite calm and peaceful whenever his twolegs were with him.

He stumbled for a quiet place to recover from his shock. Tottering into an alleyway, the exhausted young cat collapsed. He sat there for several moments, mulling over why he had even come to such a place to begin with. Of course, he had been chasing the cat, but he didn't know why he even wandered so far from home.

That cat was already long gone and since there were so many interfering scents lingering in the air, there was no way he could track him down now.

Bending his head, Tigger took a tentative lick at a murky puddle next to him. He immediately spat it back out in disgust. _I want to go home!_ He turned his head, gazing at where his sense of adventure had led him. The sky was darkening, and the nests and monsters glimmered lights as if in salute to it. The paths were noisy with the monsters' yowls and twoleg chatter, and that giant twoleg nest seemed more collasal than ever, almost threatening to crash down on him.

And he was all alone.

Miserably, he began recounting all the things he cherished back home.

_"I miss my home. I miss my bed. I miss my food bowl and my water bowl. I miss my housefolk. I miss Chess. I miss my couch... What's Chess doing now? Eating? Sleeping? Staring at the window and hoping I'll come back? Or is he walking here, in the Outside, looking for me? No... he's too fat to fit through the hole._

His thoughts were cut off as he sensed some movement from the corner of his vision. Spinning around, he found himself in the presence of a big black and white tom.

"This is Blood Clan territory," he hissed.

* * *

**Alright, finally some more of Blood Clan. I always wondered what became of them. Personally, I thought that they were more like a gang rather than a actual clan. It was Cinnamonpool who gave me the idea of Tigger bumping into a clan. But I thought, that instead of one of the four clans, it would be more interesting if he bumped into Blood clan.**

**I've never been to England or anything, so I don't know what their cities are like. Let's just pretend that they're like a smaller version of New York or something, because that's how I envisioned the setting for my story.**

**So please review this story. Any suggestions, questions, comments, constructive criticism, corrections, etc. are greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for reading, and the next chapter should be put up by next weekend. **

**EDIT (March 11, 2009): OK. After Rainstorm-Mosspath pointed it out, I really was kind of ignorant about the differences between England and New York. In England, there are no large apartment complexes (they're wide but not tall), there are no sky-scrapers or super-tall buildings, the streets are usually not _that _busy or cluttered, and there aren't that many lights. Just wanted to point that out. **

**But the main reason why I haven't really changed the setting is because I figured that a place like New York would fit better as the stray-infested, nightmarish place for a lost kittypet rather than some place like England. Not like New York is bad or anything, but it just seems like one of the worst places to be if you're a lost cat that's all alone and has no idea what's going on. There'd be more confusion in a big place with huge buildings, flashing lights, constant traffic, lots of cats & dogs, and a bunch of people everywhere.**


	3. Dealing with Death

**Here it is, Chapter 3 of this story. This was a little longer than the previous chapters, so let's hope it doesn't really drag on too much. Last chapter was a little boring, I understand, but it does kinda set things up for this chapter, though some things remain to be a mystery. I'm sorry for those of you who are mad at me for keeping a lot of things under wraps here, but I don't want the plots and spoilers to jump at you. That would be anti-climatic.**

**Special thanks to everyone who reviewed: Pocket97, Jarrtail, Tinselpool, Foxstar24, and Cinnamonpool (I'm SO sorry for forgetting you like that... something must be wrong with my brain, since that's the second time in a row this has happened. :P )**

**Quick Disclaimer (since I didn't do this yet): I don't own the idea of Blood Clan or the Forest or the idea of Clans or anything like that. Those belong to Erin Hunter. But I do own all the characters so far (except for Bone & Hawkfrost). **

**That was so pointless, since it's basically common sense, but I don't want any lawyers to sue me out of everything that I own in the future. :)**

* * *

**Dealing with Death**

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"You're in Blood Clan territory!" the tom hissed. Tigger sprang to his paws only to be bowled down by a powerful force on his back. He struggled under the powerful grip, but it was too strong and he was now at their mercy.

"Well, well, well," the cat purred, "Look what we have here. A stray."

"I'm not a stray!" Tigger hissed angrily. But immediately, he felt his courage desert him as the black and white tom stepped closer to him, sneering.

"What do you think we should do to him, Ribcage?" the cat on top of him asked smugly,"Tear him apart? His claws are pretty long. They'll make great additions to your collection." Tigger was confused at what the cat was talking about. The black tom raised his forepaw, subtly showing off the sharp appendages on his claws. Tigger gasped in fear and wriggled against the weight on his back.

These weren't soft kittypets, nor were they strays that would rather run than fight. These cats were different, whatever they were. With a sudden surge of energy, Tigger twisted his entire body, throwing the cat off of him. He knew that it was risky, exposing his soft belly like that, but he would much rather die trying to escape than allow himself to get torn up.

His ploy seemed to work, as the weight instantly lifted off of him. Seeing his chance, Tigger slashed at the cat with his claws, feeling his claws rake against its flesh as it yowled in pain.

_A memory flashed in his mind's eye. Just bits and pieces. A gray tom hissed at him as he charged. He could feel the whole world spinning as he gave the enemy a sharp bite on the shoulder. And the place was so green. Full of lush green... and he felt as if he belonged there._

The mental scene shocked Tigger, making him hesitate for only a moment- just enough time for his adversary to retaliate. With a furious yowl, the cat hurled itself at him, both of them stumbling over.

"Oomf!" Tigger felt his back hit the stone cold floor. _This is bad, I'm at the bottom!_ He thrashed against the suffocating weight against him. At the same time, he could feel the painful stings of the cat's sharp claws against his throat. He hissed in pain as he felt his ear get snagged by one of the claws. In desperation, Tigger gave up the futile attempt of pushing the heavy weight off and focused on holding the cat up and out of reach from this vital weak spot.

He could feel the weight bearing down on him and he felt as though he couldn't hold on any longer. All he could see was the cat's soft underbelly and all he could hear was the blood roaring in his ears. Immediately, without thinking, he lunged his head forward, biting his enemy on the nose. The cat gave a pained and shocked cry as he tugged backwards, but Tigger held fast. He wasn't going to give up his advantage just yet!

He pulled back harder, feeling his fangs sink deeper into his adversary's nose. Just when the cat was leaning too far towards him and seemed imbalanced, Tigger brought his hindlegs up, pummeling the cat's soft underbelly. Immediately, the cat was flung sideways and crashing into a nearby puddle. Tigger sprang back on his paws and charged the dazed cat. There was a flurry of brown that obstructed his vision and he felt the heavy weight give way under him.

Out of instinct, Tigger fastened his fangs around the cat's throat and was about to give the finishing blow before realization hit him.

_"This is wrong... so very, very wrong..."_ he seemed to think to himself, though every bit of his instinct screamed at him to proceed. Hesitatingly, Tigger released his hold and backed away, staring back at his battered enemy.

It was a small, pale brown tabby, only slightly younger than himself. And his wet fur was plastered against him, making his ribcage painfully prominent. Just by that fight, the kitten looked so exhausted. Of course, Tigger was panting too, but not quite as much. But still- he reminded himself that this was no ordinary cat. Although younger and smaller, this kitten still nearly overpowered him.

"Interesting fight, stray."

Tigger turned his head at the voice, remembering that there was another cat present. The large, black tom glowered down at him, seeming to cast a shadow over the tabby.

"I- I- I'm not a stray," Tigger stammered. It seemed as though his courage was finally leaving him. He was alone in this strange world, nobody knew where he was, and nobody was going to find him. If he suddenly died here, under these cats' claws, nobody would even know what happened to him. At that thought, Tigger looked down at the Tom's fang-studded paws.

"And if you're not a stray... then what are you?" the cat asked, taking a step closer. Tigger arched his back in response, though he couldn't stop himself from shaking. He could barely survive a fight with a kitten from this place, so how would he ever manage to hold his own against a huge, full-grown tom?

"I live with housefolk- I'm not a stray, I _belong_ somewhere," Tigger replied quietly. The cat waited a moment, silent and still, as if he was processing whatever Tigger just said. Tigger took this time to look at the ground, where he saw small red splotches on the floor. With a grimace, Tigger recalled the scratch on his ear and hoped it wasn't bad enough to leave a deep scar.

"A kittypet? You're no kittypet. You may be fat and well-fed like one, but you fight like a stray," he meowed. Normally, Tigger would have accepted the compliment of his fighting skills, yet, he was so scared. Maybe if the cats just knew that he was lost, they'd go easy on him. But he immediately threw the thought out of his mind. He could see no mercy in that ruthless glare.

"I _am_ a kittypet," Tigger replied firmly. _"If they're going to kill me, they're not going to remember me as a scared little kittypet. I'm not going down without a fight."_

"Hmmm... well, it's not common for any kitten to defeat Rattles. Why didn't you kill him, I wonder?" the tom's eyes gleamed. Tigger looked behind him to notice that the kitten, Rattles, was now standing at his side, ready to pounce when the tom gave him the word. Tigger remained silent, not quite sure how to answer that question.

"You can't be too soft-hearted in this world," the tom meowed, "You have to kill to survive here, and Rattles already shows much potential even at such an early age. You should have killed him when you had the chance. _That_ would be the one sure way to ensure survival here." Tigger noticed Rattles tense up at the statement.

"So how did a soft-pawed kittypet wind up here, of all places? Have you ever even had to fight for your life before? Fight a _real_ fight?" Tigger could feel scorn in the tom's voice.

"I managed to get out of my twoleg nest and was chasing a stray," Tigger explained, not daring to lower his gaze, "And I got lost... and this was the first fight..."

"A natural-born fighter, are you?" the tom meowed with some interest, "And who was this stray you were chasing?"

"I don't know... I don't know his name..."

"Oh? And what did he look like?" the tom questioned.

"He was a calico, probably a little older than I am," Tigger answered, not thinking that it would matter anyway, "But I couldn't catch him. He just went down an alley and disappeared down a hole. I tried to catch up to him, but I got lost inside." The tom stared at him, his expression full of shock- especially at the last statement.

"Ribcage, he's talking about Ajax!" Rattles exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.

The tom sat up from his crouching position and curled his tail around his paws, closing his eyes, as if deep in thought. Impatient from all this quiet, Rattles spoke up.

"What are we going to do with him? Claw him?"

"Quiet!" Ribcage snapped, making the kitten flinch. Ribcage then managed to find his composure as he addressed Tigger.

"Come with us," he meowed.

"Wha-?" Rattles managed to gasp.

"We're taking him to Bone. It seems as if we've found ourselves an interesting recruit," Ribcage answered stonily.

"B-b-bone?" Tigger stammered. He didn't like the sound of that name- in fact, he didn't like either one of their names!

"He's the leader of Blood Clan!" Rattles hissed in his ear, "He'll claw your fur off when he finds out you're a trespassing kittypet!"

"You have no choice but to follow us," Ribcage said as he started stalking down out of the alley, "Bone will be interested about the holes you've been talking about... _very_ interested." Tigger felt Rattles prodding him forward with a claw. It seemed as if he had no other option, it was either stay and fight to the death or obey and see what happens.

Tigger followed them without a fuss, his proud and wild nature replaced by fear and, strangely, a vague sense of curiosity. What were these cats like? How did they get so strong? Ribcage said "recruit". Could he possibly live among them? Would he get strong too? What if _he_ could be leader of Blood Clan someday?

* * *

They turned this way and that, their pathway twisting around in all sorts of impossible angles until Tigger had absolutely no idea what was going in or which direction he was going to. Finally, when the sky was dark, they were at their destination.

It was shabby and abandoned compared to what he'd been around. The whole place seemed lonely for twoleg attention and the narrow alleyway seemed to gape open into a dark, abyss-like mouth. Tigger shuddered at the sight, but tried his hardest not to show it. Suddenly, a figure jumped onto a silver twoleg waste-box. It was dark, huge, silent, and seemed almost as if a piece of the cloudy night sky had decended upon them.

"Why did you bring a stranger to us, Ribcage?" the mysterious cat asked.

"This newcomer knows valuable information and could be a new addition to Blood Clan," Ribcage answered evenly. But even Tigger could tell that the tabby tom was afraid of this cat. And when he turned his way, Tigger found out why.

He had a huge scar on the corner of his lower jaw, exposing the fangs and blackened gums within in some cruel, twisted snarl. It just seemed so unnatural, Tigger quailed at the sight.

"He looks like a kittypet," the disfigured tom spat.

"He is," Ribcage replied, "But it's very important that Bone sees him." The tom nodded slowly, letting the request roll around in his mind.

"Follow me," he meowed as he jumped from the silver cylinder and onto the cold pavement. The three cats obediently followed, unsure of what the outcome was going to be. In the corners of his vision, Tigger spied gleaming pairs of eyes staring back at him eerily. He didn't think that there could be so many cats in the giant two-leg nest... but then again, the place was huge.

The sight that had met them at the end of the alleyway was even more intimidating to Tigger. In the middle of them was a big black and white tom, probably the one they called Bone. And surrounding him were other ferocious-looking cats, almost his equal in size. And each of them was equipped with huge, sharpened claws and fangs of cats and dogs alike.

"Bone," their guide addressed the black and white tom with a respectful dip of his head, "Ribcage and Rattles seem to have brought an interesting stranger to us. They request to speak with you."

"Let them come, Jaws," Bone meowed icily. Jaws nodded before he padded towards the leader and sat beside him among the group of cats. Tigger noticed some cats trickling into the alley to see what was going to happen. Word got around fast here, and there was no cat that wouldn't be interested in knowing why a mere kittypet would be so important to Blood Clan. Some whisperings and mewing came with them, as they all shared their speculations and observations, which unnerved Tigger, since he wasn't quite sure if they all thought he was going to die or not.

"That's Jaws, the deputy of Blood Clan," Rattles hissed at him above the noise of the oncoming cats.

"So... the cats here... they're all..."

"Warriors of Blood Clan," the light-furred tabby finished.

"Silence!" Jaws yowled, and almost instantly the noise ceased and became a hushed quiet. Tigger chanced a glance at Ribcage and Rattles, who sat up straight and had their heads bowed in a respectful stance. Despite already being a stranger, Tigger felt even more out of place in his wary, crouching position with head peeking up to see what's going on. But he had no time to follow their example, since Bone decided to get this over with right away.

"So what have you brought me, Ribcage?" he rasped, "Jaws tells me that it's a kittypet."

"Yes, Bone," Ribcage replied in a clear voice, "He's a kittypet, but he managed to defeat Rattles and-"

"Defeat Rattles? But he's still alive!" Bone interrupted impatiently.

"Yes, but he's a kittypet- too soft to take another cat's life," Ribcage replied with a sneer.

"Continue, then," the black and white tom meowed after an excruciating moment of thought.

"And he could make an excellent warrior in Blood Clan. He's had no experience as a fighter, but he still managed to take down one of our own!"

"A kittypet? Part of Blood Clan? Don't be ridiculous!" Bone hissed.

"But he knows about Ajax's secrets!" Ribcage meowed loudly. Obviously, he was keeping this important detail for an extra surprising effect in his list of finds. Immediately the Blood Clan cats started muttering excitedly among one another before Bone fixed his frosty gaze on them.

Tigger watched with horror as the tom's powerful frame separated itself from the rest of the group and approached them. Seeing that Bone's gaze was on Tigger alone, Ribcage and Rattles slowly edged away from the kittypet.

"So," Bone asked in a chillingly cold voice, "What is your name, kittypet?"

"My name is Tigger," he answered faintly.

"Tigger," the tom repeated, "And how did a kittypet get out of its twoleg nest?" he asked as he circled him slowly, never breaking his stare. Tigger felt nervous, knowing that the leader was inspecting him carefully.

"I ripped a hole in the window," Tigger answered before Bone continued his interrogation.

"And how did you come to know Ajax?"

"I didn't. He was talking to a kittypet friend of mine, and I chased him away."

"And what do you know about him?" Tigger threw a panicked glance at Ribcage, wondering what he should say.

"_What do you know about him_?!" Bone snapped harshly, forcing Tigger to flinch.

"He travels down in holes and underground pathways," he answered with his head bowed, not daring to look up at that cat again.

"Really now?" the interested voice pressed on, "And where are these holes?"

"I- I- I don't know where to find them. I got lost and now I can't find my way back to them," Tigger stammered as he stared at Bone's dangerously sharp claws flex and dig into the ground.

"And what if you get to know the twoleg nests? Would you remember where they were? Would you know where to find these holes?" Bone asked, green glimmering in his eyes.

"Y-yes," Tigger lied. At the moment, he wasn't sure if he could or not. All he knew was that he never wanted to do anything to displease that dangerous cat- _never_.

"Well then," Bone said with aloofness, "I _hope_ you've been telling the truth. And I hope that you're as strong a fighter as Ribcage describes you, because you're going to prove that you're strong here. Welcome to Blood Clan."

_"But I don't want to be part of Blood Clan! I've had it with this place and these cats! I just want to go home. I don't want to be with Blood Clan, I've never wanted any of this. I wasn't even offered a choice!" _Tigger thought to himself.

He almost opened his mouth to say those words- _almost._ But he didn't dare... not when he'd already gone too deep.

* * *

**So what's so important about this mysterious Ajax? Will Tigger ever find his way back home? How will he cope with Clan life?**

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Just for the sake of pronounciation, Ajax's name is pronounced "Ay-jacks". It might sound like a stupid name to you, but when I first heard that name from some Animal Planet Documentary about Cheetahs (one of them was called Ajax), I thought it sounded pretty cool. And it was the first name that popped into my head as I invented this character. **

**And I'm not sure what Blood Clan names are supposed to sound like, since they seem to be one-syllable words compared to the 2-3 syllable Clan names. So I just made them up as I went along. **

**So please REVIEW and all that good stuff. Any comments, ideas, constructive criticism suggestions, questions, corrections, etc. are all good. So please do that, or if you don't feel like it, thanks for reading anyway. I really appreciate that too. :)**

**Jade TeaLeaf**


	4. The Dark Follows Faithfully

**Here's the next chapter. It should be more informative to you guys, since I am holding back a lot of information. I just want to make it sort of mysterious, and if you've noticed, I've dropped a couple hints here and there. **

**Special thanks to the Reviewers: Cinnamonpool, MidnightEssence, Tenacross, Jarrtail, Adderstar of Valorclan, FoxStar24, and Tinselpool.**

**Also, just on a special note, I completely forgot that Bone (ignore this if you haven't read The Darkest Hour yet)... is dead. So let's all pretend he isn't. (insert nervous laugh here). Thank you Jarrtail for pointing that out.**

**Another Special thanks goes to my Beta Reader, Cinnamonpool, who's helping me with this fic as I go along. She helped give me the confidence to actually put this story up. Thanks a bunch. :D**

* * *

**The Dark Follows Faithfully**

* * *

_He didn't know where to turn. Everywhere he looked, he couldn't see a way out of the vast expanse of dark nothingness. It was just as confusing as the giant twoleg nest and he was beginning to wonder if he was truly lost and would never find his way out. He parted his jaws to breathe in a scent- any scent, but there was nothing. It shocked Tigger, for he knew that everything had to have a scent. Did anything of this place even exist?_

_"I'm in a dream again," he told himself, "I'm in that same place as last time."_

_"Alone..." a miserable voice whispered in the distance, "I'm all... alone..." _

_"Did someone say something?" Tigger spun around, swiveling his ears for the voice. He was relieved, for he was beginning to believe that he was all alone again._

_"Is anyone there?" he called out again, hearing his words echo faintly._

_"Here," the voice replied faintly. His heart lifting, Tigger ran blindly for the sound, eager for someone to talk to. He had so many questions and so much to say, it would be nice to finally see a friendly face for once._

_Tigger felt a cool rush against his paws and looked down to see sparse green, wispy things poking out of the ground. And just ahead of him, those strange, brown pole-like things with green stuff were materializing before him. _

_"Is that you Hawkfrost?" he yowled, "Where are you? I need to talk to you." He saw some light somewhere in the distance and leapt for it, hoping to see that strange dark brown tabby. But instead, a new face greeted him. It was a dark, black and gray tom, sitting in the center of the clearing and facing away from him. Tigger felt the hair on his pelt rise, but he didn't know why. Something seemed strange about this cat._

_"Hello," Tigger meowed politely, after deciding that the mysterious cat wasn't going to say anything, "My name is Tigger... Have you seen Hawkfrost?" But there was no reply, and the cat only stared ahead, facing away from Tigger._

_"Ah, listen, I'm sorry to be bothering you but I think I'm lost and I need a way to get home. Can you help me, please?" Tigger asked as he circled the strange cat, trying to take a look at its face and catch his attention. But the cat was stubborn and turned his head away, deliberately refusing to make eye contact. After several more attempts, it seemed as if Tigger was losing his patience._

_"Fine," he hissed, "Be that way. I'll find my way somewhere else!" As he was stalking out of the clearing. He felt regretful for leaving him alone, yet he couldn't hesitate. No, that would make him seem so desparate and helpless- begging for help from some deranged cat._

_"I'm lost too," the voice said shakily. Tigger turned his head and saw the cat, still in that same shy position._

_"I'm all alone too... but he wouldn't let me follow... wasn't I loyal? Wasn't I loyal to him?" the cat muttered to himself. Tigger took a tentative step towards him. What did he mean by that? What was he mumbling about?_

_"What do you mean?" Tigger asked softly. The cat turned to him, his amber eyes growing from dull and listless to bright and alive. He startled Tigger by getting on his paws and taking a step towards him. Tigger jumped backwards, wanting to keep a safe distance between him and that crazed cat. But the stranger seemed to stop himself from running up to Tigger, as if unsure if he should ask for permission to approach or not. They stared at each other for several seconds, the cat seeming to inspect him closely, recognition gleaming in his eyes._

_"You look just like him," he murmered._

_"... Like Hawkfrost?" Tigger asked. Just then, there was a fierce screech and the dark tabby was standing between them, hissing at the stranger. Startled and obviously frightened, the dark tom retreated into the dense forest before Tigger could say anything._

_"What did you do that for?" Tigger yelled, trying his hardest to hide his aggitation, "He was going to tell me something!"_

_"You'll thank me when the time comes," Hawkfrost replied fiercely, setting his challenging gaze on him._

* * *

He opened his eyes and an unfamiliar sight greeted him. It was cold and gray, and at first, Tigger almost yowled in surprise before the incidents of yesterday seeped back into his memory. He remembered now... the chase... the tunnels... the cats... Blood Clan... he remembered them all- and he wish he hadn't. To him, it seemed even more of a dream than his encounters with Hawkfrost.

Glancing around him, Tigger saw the skinny cats and their miserable lives they led. They were digging through the human waste boxes for meager scraps, hissing at each other for small bits of shelter, staying all alone. This was no way a cat should live, and Tigger had no idea why these cats weren't searching for twolegs to take them in. Why were they making life so hard for themselves?

"So, how's our new addition to Blood Clan doing?" a smug voice asked from behind him. Tigger cringed, getting frustrated that everyone was taking a habit of sneaking up on him.

"Well enough," Tigger answered tersely before nearly jumping. He wasn't talking to just any cat, like Ribcage or Rattles. He was now addressing Jaws, the deputy of Blood Clan.

"I'm fine..." he reiterated slowly. Trying in vain to stop his eyes from straying to the cat's disfigured jaw.

"Staring at the scar are you," Jaws sneered, making the yellowed fangs more noticeable, "Well I got it from a dog. And there are _plenty_ of them around here. I heard that they like to eat small defenseless kittens. Different from whatever you're used to, isn't it?" All Tigger could do was glare, not trusting himself to open his mouth and not end up insulting him. Satisfied, the cat padded off, the fangs on his claws clicking against the ground.

Hissing with frustration, Tigger walked off in the opposite direction, furious at himself for not teaching that cat a lesson. For a moment, he wished that Chess was with him, so he could have someone to be brave for instead of himself. He didn't know why he felt comforted at the thought of Chess being with him. He would be useless in a fight, but perhaps if he knew that someone was on his side, he would feel braver. But here, nobody seemed interested in holding a decent conversation with him, and if they wanted to say something, they were only going to ridicule him.

His stomach rumbled faintly, painfully reminding him of his hunger. He hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday morning! Above all things Tigger hated about living as a Blood Clan cat, he detested the rancid food they ate and how fought each other for even the smallest scrap.

_"This isn't how it's supposed to be,"_ a voice whispered inside him, _"The clan should help every cat as a whole instead of surviving on their own."_

And he couldn't help but feel pangs of sorrow when he saw two queens fighting over the remains of a fish, their kits squealing on the sidelines, ribcages jutting out from their pelts. And that was when Tigger wondered how far he would go for pieces of food that wouldn't even satisfy him. He sighed as he trudged on, away from all of them.

He decided that he was going to be careful of which direction he's headed to from now on. He didn't want to get lost again, and if he did, Blood Clan would find him, accuse him of trying to escape, and claw his ears off. He shuddered at the thought as he entered the lonely concrete paths, staying clear of the monsters' territory.

_"But what if I can get out of this place? What if I can escape? What if I can find my way back home?"_ he thought to himself, _"But if I can find the tunnels, they'd have to let me leave, right?"_ And then another thought struck him, _"But what if I caught Ajax and make him show me to my home... and not even report to Blood Clan? That would make their blood boil under their pelt! Ha!" _

"How's it going, kittpet?" a voice called to him. Tigger sighed, not bothering to turn around to see who was taunting him this time.

"Fine!" he snapped bitterly.

"Well it's good to see that," the amused voice purred. Tigger turned around to see a pretty, pale, white and gray she-cat padding towards him. He was a little disappointed that she wasn't a kitten like him, but at least she showed no signs of tormenting him.

"I'm Tabs," she introduced herself.

"Hi there," he meowed, "My name's-"

"Tigger, I know," she purred, "Every cat knows about _you_."

"Really?" Tigger couldn't help but feel proud, "What do they say about me?" She hesitated slightly before answering.

"They don't think you'll last long."

"Lousy clan," he sulked. Tabs sighed, deciding to make the tactical move of changing the subject.

"What are you doing way out here by yourself? Trying to find your way back home are you?" she asked, "Not many cats like to cross Bone. Besides, the place is too big, you'd never find it."

"I'm not afraid of Bone," Tigger replied indignantly, "And I can leave to go home whenever I want!"

"Well then, where is your home?" she asked, giving him a knowing look.

"I don't know, but I'll find it," he muttered as he continued on his way. She was the only friendly cat around here and he was already tired of talking to her.

"You know, the only way you can get back home is by catching Ajax," she called out. Tigger stopped.

"Ajax!" he spat, "This is all his fault! Why does Bone even want a stray anyway? What's so great about _him_?"

"Oh, Ajax has been bothering Bone since we moved Blood Clan here six moons ago," she replied as she padded towards him.

"Him? What can one cat do against so many of you?"

"It's not like he _fights_ us. It's that we can't get him to _leave_. When Blood Clan takes over, they either drive out all the cats in the area or force them to join us," Tabs explained with an excited glint in her pale blue eyes, "But Ajax knows the streets better than any cat and he always manages to get away, no matter how hard we look for him or how many cats chase him down. He's always gotten away."

"So what? It's just one cat," Tigger argued.

"That's not the point," she meowed, "Bone can't stand to keep losing. And he also wants to know the secrets of the tunnels. If Blood Clan controlled them, we could travel all across the city and catch other rogues by surprise."

"There are more of you?" Tigger felt his eyes grow round and wide, "But I thought it was all just Blood Clan."

"There are always intruders," she answered with a flick of her tail, "Or else why would we have to stick together?"

"Stick together?! None of you are looking out for each other. There's no order! No system! You can't expect a clan to thrive if you're going to scratch a living like this," he replied bitterly. At first, she seemed surprised by his response, and then her eyes narrowed to angry slits.

"What are you saying? Like there's any other way to live out here? Like we choose to live like this?" she hissed, "But of course, what does a kittypet understand about real life when you've got a cushy little home? _Kittypet_!" She spat the last word with contempt that made Tigger flinch.

"... Well... why not get a twoleg to take you in?" he ventured further, "They love cats and-"

"Not rogues!" her eyes blazing, "Not our kind! We're nothing to them, mousebrain! Stay for two days in Blood Clan and you'll understand!"

Tigger pondered the truth of her words. Of course no twoleg would want them. They roamed the filth-places, were constantly fighting for scraps, and most of all, they could never get along with other cats. What kind of twoleg would want _them_?

"Then... how about..." he hesitated, worried his next idea would be just stupid as his last. He'd only seen it in some weird part of his mind while he was fighting Rattles, but he felt some odd sense of familiarity with the scene. "That green place. There's a green place somewhere out there... where cat's can live." Tabs gave him a puzzled look before replying.

"You mean the forest? That place has been destroyed long ago before we claimed this twoleg nest as our territory. Cats used to live there, but they're either dead or long gone."

"Forest?" Tigger repeated the word to himself, "What's it like?"

"Shhhh!" she swiped a tail over his mouth, "We're forbidden to talk about it. Bone doesn't like any cat talking about it... not since Scourge."

"Scourge?"

"Don't mention _his_ name either," she said with a frustrated hiss.

"But why-"

"Patrol's coming!" she said nervously, "They can't see us talking to each other. I'll talk to you later!" And with that, she was one, racing down the streets. Tigger stared after her, wondering how she even knew they were coming. Was her sense of smell really so good? Would his ever be able to compare with hers? And what secrets did Blood Clan have?

* * *

**So I'm interested to know, what did you think about the 2 new characters? What did you think about the dark cat in Tigger's dreams? There were some hints about him in the chapter though, so read carefully. Any guesses to who he is? Please PM me your guesses so you don't spoil anybody. Anyways, more will be revealed about him later. **

**Also, what did you think about Tabs? I was saving that name for my future cat, just to tell you.**

**Right now I'm in the middle of writing Chapter 5, and I'm a little stuck, so it could take longer for that chapter to be up so please bear with me. **

**Please Review. Any constructive criticism, ideas, comments, encouragement, questions, suggestions, corrections, etc. are always welcome (especially suggestions and corrections). So just do me this HUGE favor and Review. Thanks so much for reading.**


	5. Come Ever Closer

**First of all, I want to thank all of those who have reviewed: Tenacross, Cinnamonpool, Jarrtail, Kylyn, and Foxstar24. Thanks guys.**

**And thanks to Cinnamonpool who reads all my messed-up chapters and lets me write mass amounts of email about this story.**

**And thanks guys for reading the story although it's still building up and going along at a plodding pace. It'll get faster and there'll be adventure and suspense in the next chapter, promise.**

* * *

**Come Ever Closer**

* * *

Tigger's stomach growled faintly as he arrived the Blood Clan camp. He hadn't eaten a morsel of food, since every cat wanted to fight for pickings that weren't considered "fit to eat". But the cats seemed to be surviving off of the scraps- just barely. And the fact that he was hopelessly lost since sundown didn't brighten his day either.

"How's clan life going for you kittypet?" Tigger recognized Rattle's mocking voice, but decided to ignore him. He had better things to do that shred that furball's pelt right now. He briskly padded past the groups of cats, trying to ignore the stares they sent him.

"Kittypet," a she-cat called to him. He hated what they were calling him now- "kittypet". It was as if he didn't have an actual name at all! Even if it was a ridiculous kittypet name, it was still so much better.

"Bone wants to see you. Follow me," the mottled brown queen ran off into the alley, not even bothering to wait for him to catch up. Frustrated, yet obedient, Tigger followed her to Bone's domain.

It was the same place he last spoke with the black and white tom, and it still scared him. There were notably more cats surrounding the clan leader now, each one flexing their sharp claws and whispering amongst each other. But they immediately snapped to attention as soon as the new arrivals came into view. A hushed silence hung in the air as the two cats came to a halt in front of them.

"Tigger has come, just as you wanted, Bone," the she-cat dipped her head in respect.

"Hmph. Leave Smear," Bone replied gruffly. The messenger wasted no time, and she was out of the dreaded alley in a flash, leaving Tigger all alone with them.

He stood there awkwardly before remembering the proper posture that he members of Blood Clan displayed to their leader. Swallowing dryly, Tigger sat up straight and bent his head downwards.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"Did you find any of the tunnels yet?" Bone asked.

"No," Tigger replied, feeling his heart quicken, "I searched the area and I haven't found them yet. I'll keep trying."

"You'd better find it fast," Bone hissed threateningly.

"I will," the kittypet promised.

"You will report your findings to me every day from now on," the leader replied, calming down, "Even if you don't have anything to say, you have to come to me, understood?"

"Yes Bone," Tigger nodded vigorously.

"Then _get out_," Bone snapped. Tigger raised his head, giving the leader a sharp look before turning away. The group of cats stared after him before they continued their hushed conversations.

"Jaws," the black and white tom said. Quickly, his second-in-command was at his side.

"Yes Bone?"

"Tell me, did the kittypet look familiar to you?" Jaws gave him a puzzled look before responding.

"Familiar? Like how?"

"As if I've seen him from somewhere."

"No," the dark cat replied.

"Hm," Bone meowed softly, "Strange. He seemed vaguely familiar to me."

* * *

He woke slightly, feeling something prod his side. Shaking his head clear of sleep, he looked up to see Tabs crouching over him.

"Wake up," she mewed.

"What's going on?" he moaned, "It's still the middle of the night. No cat's awake right now."

"That's the point," she said, and with a gentle motion of a paw, she nudged a few pitiful scraps of food towards him, "Eat."

Tigger's stomach grumbled its complaints as he sat up and gingerly nibbled on them. They tasted foul compared to any _real_ food- and they smelled just as bad too. He grimaced as he chewed at the tough scraps, not quite sure what it had been before it was terribly mutilated like this.

"It's all we have," she said quietly.

"But it's certainly not worth fighting for," Tigger pointed out.

"But food is life, and life is worth fighting for," she replied. Tigger decided to change the subject, not wanting to get into an argument like last time.

"Why are you giving me food? Why so secretive?" he asked, looking around to see the place empty and devoid of life.

"I'm giving you food because I like you." She purred as she licked the tips of his ears. Tigger instinctively shrunk back from the gentle touch but relaxed as she wrapped her tail around him.

"You're just like one of my kits," she said softly, "So naive and innocent- untouched by the evils of Blood Clan before you came here. Oh, but my kits are gone now, being one of those loyal followers of Bone." She spat in disgust at the mention of his name.

"... at your age, my kits were torn apart from me," she continued in a sad whisper of a voice, "And no cat is ever allowed to be with their friends or kin, since Bone's afraid that they'll band together against him."

"I'm sorry," he said as he edged away from her, feeling embarraced and awkward at all she was telling him.

"There was nothing I could do about it. Whenever they were hungry, I couldn't give them food... it was Bone's system of getting rid of the weak. Nobody was allowed to help, and if you weren't strong by yourself, you don't get fed," her eyes narrowed as she spoke, her voice escalating from a hushed whisper to one dripping with malice. But her look instantly softened as she turned back to him.

"I don't want them to kill you, Tigger," Tabs meowed, "I don't want you to die, which is why I'm helping you. Now eat up."

"But what about everything else? What about the forest?" he asked eagerly.

"Oh I don't know... it was such a long time ago when the monsters started ripping it all up," she sighed, "But as I said before, we shouldn't talk about it."

"But what about Scourge?" he protested. She shook her head sadly as she recalled what she was told.

"He was the leader of Blood Clan before Bone. And he tried to take over the forest but they... _we_ lost to the forest cats."

"I still don't understand why we can't talk about it," he muttered.

"That battle was the downfall of our clan," she explained softly, "So many cats died..."

"Can you tell me more about it?" he asked.

"I can't remember that much more that I've heard... except that Scourge killed one clan leader, and was later killed by another clan leader, but other than that, nothing... I should go now," she meowed, "I must leave before any cat finds out I've been helping you." And with that, she left as quickly as she came. Tigger wanted to follow her, but he knew he couldn't. From what he knew about Blood Clan now, he could never get close to any cat.

He curled up, ready for sleep. Silently, he thought about Tabs and how sad she would've felt to see her very own kits leave her. He couldn't imagine what life would be like, to never be close to any cat. Just by thinking about his life without Chess or Tabs made his heart wrench in loneliness. Slowly, he closed his eyes, that terrible and depressing feeling in mind.

* * *

_"Wake up," a voice said in his ear, "Wake up..." Tigger raised his head wearily. This was his second time in a row that his sleep had been disturbed._

_"Huh?" he woke up to find a familiar set of blue eyes staring at him. Startled, he sprang to his paws._

_"Take it easy," Hawkfrost said calmly. But Tigger would not calm down. He still remembered what happened the last time he came to this forsaken place. He wanted answers, but Hawkfrost had to come barging in and ruin everything!_

_"I see that you're still upset about the other time," Hawkfrost observed._

_"Of course I am!" he hissed, "I'm tired of having no answers and no control over anything! Stop keeping things from me! I want to know what's going on!"_

_Hawkfrost's eyes narrowed before answering, "I understand that you're frustrated but I can't tell you any more. This is all for your own good. If I tell you everything right now, it would only confuse you." Tigger gave him a rebellious glare. He didn't care how big or powerful he was or anything like that, he wanted the truth- now._

_"I see that you're not ready to accept this," Hawkfrost meowed, "But give it time and you'll finally understand." _

_"No!" Tigger shouted, "This whole time I've been miserable ever since I first saw you! Why are you doing this to me? What do you want?"_

_"I'm not in control of your life," Hawkfrost snapped._

_"Then explain all the strange things that have been happening since I first met you!" he demanded. _

_"Really? Like what?" Hawkfrost asked, his interest piqued._

_Without hesitation, Tigger replied, not caring whether or not he sounded ridiculous. "Like when I was lost in the tunnels, a voice gave me advice. And when I was fighting Rattles, I thought I saw a place of green! A place with tall brown poles with green things and-"_

_"Trees," Hawkfrost corrected._

_"Trees?"_

_"There aren't many in the twoleg nests, but plenty in the forest," the older cat explained._

_"The forest!" Tigger recalled, "Tabs said something about a forest! And cats used to live there!"_

_"Yes," Hawkfrost closed his eyes as if remembering a far-away memory, "Yes. I used to live there with my clan."_

_"You did?!" This whole time Tigger thought that they were a thing of the distant past. He never quite thought that he had actually met one before. Instantly, Tigger had some new-found respect for the large tabby._

_"But that was a long time ago," he replied with a small hint of sadness that Tigger didn't even notice._

_"Really? What was the clan called?" he asked excitedly._

_"There was not one, but four clans: River Clan, Wind Clan, Shadow Clan, and Thunder Clan. Each clan has its own territory and they work together to compete for survival against their rival clans. Each clan has a leader and a deputy- like in Blood Clan except for the fact that they have honor and a warrior code."_

_"Warrior code?" Tigger interrupted, stepping closer._

_"Every clan has warriors in it that hunt, fight, and protect the territory," Hawkfrost explained, "And the warrior code is a set of rules that all clan cats should abide by."_

_"That sounds exciting," the young cat's excitement faded slightly, "But Tabs said that they disappeared? Is that what happened? Did you die because the twolegs destroyed your home? Are you all alone here? Are there more of your clan?" There was a pause as Hawkfrost hesitated slightly._

_"No, I'm not alone here. Usually my father is here with me. He shall show himself to you when he decides to. But we'll save that for another day," he answered as he swiped a tail over Tigger's mouth before he could complain, "But first, today is a special day, for it is now moon high." With that, he looked upwards and Tigger followed his example, looking in awe at the large orb hanging in the sky. He was closer to it than he had ever thought possible. The moon must have somehow appeared magically in the sky, because it was definately something that Tigger would notice right away._

_"Stand up straight, Tigger," Hawkfrost instructed, "Because today I'm giving you your own clan name."_

_"My own clan name?!" he gaped, a chill of excitement descending upon him. _

_"It would only be right, since you are a descendent of a clan cat," Hawkfrost meowed, "Now stand straight."_

_Quickly, Tigger did as he was told before bothering him with more questions, "What do you mean about a descendent? Who's my father? Is he the warrior? Or what about my mother? Maybe she was a long time ago... or maybe both of them!"_

_"Not now," Hawkfrost said with an edge of impatience, "I have told you too much already, now hold still as I say the words..._

_From now onward, you shall be Chillpaw. May you learn the warrior code under me as my apprentice."_

_Chillpaw... he liked that name._

* * *

**So what did you think about Tabs? Pretty sad? Cheesy? I'm not quite sure. I wanted to make her something that people could feel sympathy for, since she lost her connection with her kits. :(**

**Well, I really struggled with naming Tigger here. At first, I wanted to go with Coldpaw, but Cinnamonpool had this character called Coldpup in her story, The Saga of Cold Flame, and I didn't want to be a copyright infringer-person (if such a thing even exists). **

**If I come up with a better name, I might just go back and edit it or something. Thanks again for reading, and remember, REVIEW!**

**Any advice, constructive criticism, ideas, opinions, suggestions, corrections, etc. are always welcome. Don't hold back any criticism whatsoever.**

**Jade TeaLeaf**


	6. Treading on Treachery

**IT'S MY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND SO HOW ABOUT SOME REVIEWS AS A LITTLE BIRTHDAY GIFT?**

**Speaking of Reviews, special thanks to : Jarrtail, Cinnamonpool, Kylyn, Foxstar24, and Tinselpool. Thanks for reviewing guys. This chapter is actiony as I promised you, and I hope you like it. It's just a little longer than most chapters but I guess it's OK. This is the major chapter that adds a whole new twist to the story.**

**Special Thanks to Tinselpool for suggesting the first few paragraphs of this chapter. Seriously, thank you SO MUCH.**

**And another Special Thanks goes to Cinnamonpool for proofreading my work and making sure that my characters remain in check.**

* * *

**Treading on Treachery**

* * *

Tigger awoke to the sound of his own heart beating. He tried to keep on a calm expression as he recalled all that had happened. _Chillpaw_... and being a decendent of the Clan Cats. He never imagined that he was anything more than a kittypet, that he was born as something _more_. Tigger's excitement faltered when he remembered his predicament. In a way, despite being the son of some great, powerful clan cat, he was still practically a prisoner.

And just the thought of looking for the secret underworld that only Ajax knew about weighed down on his paws.

"_Ajax!_" he spat as he lazily lifted his paws to stand up, "_The one who got me stuck in this mess!_"

Under the cover of night, Tigger meandered through the crowded paths that zig-zagged between the twoleg nests. He couldn't help but feel pleased with himself for his improvements over the past few days. Though, his rumbling stomach dispelled his good mood and sent him into darker thoughts. The only cats that ever approached him either wanted to insult him or pick a fight. It amazed him how he had changed over time.

He used to fight Chess all the time for scraps on the floor. They always had their claws sheathed, of course, but he used to be able to stand up for himself. And it disgusted him how he always backed down whenever a cat demanded his meager, hard-sought food. He could almost hear their scathing words ringing in his head right now.

_Kittypet_. That was the word he hated the most out of everything else they called him, whether it was "mousebrain", "furball", or anything like that. In fact, now he was just beginning to wonder why it was so hard for him to adjust to this place. At first he thought that it was only because he was new to this different lifestyle and he only needed time to adjust. But now, he was still just barely surviving even with help. _Am I weak because I was born a kittypet? Is that why I can't survive out here? I was a good fighter though, but that doesn't make me a survivor._

And then there was Tabs. He truly pitied her for her losses, he really did. And he was grateful for all the help she had given him. But most of all, he loved her for being the only cat that would talk to him kindly, even if she were to treat him like a kit. But deep inside, he dreaded seeing her, even in the cover of dark. How much longer could she help him before she got caught? He had to get stronger on his own, even if it meant pushing her away.

And to make the situation worse, he still had to find the tunnels, or possibly Ajax. If he was worried about how much time Tabs had left to take care of him, he should be worrying more about Bone's patience. Who knew when the cat's patience was wearing thin? Only Jaws could possibly know that, and Tigger cringed at the memory of the deputy's torn jaws and piercing amber eyes.

He stopped by another alley, checking under the twoleg waste boxes and the cracks in the wall. None of them seemed to resemble anything quite like the tunnels he'd been through before. He let out a frustrated hiss. _Where could Ajax be?!_

* * *

Ajax leaped on top of one of the silver, cylinders that lined the twoleg paths. He stood stock-still, scanning the area for any signs of Blood Clan. Seeing none, he felt content to get along with his business. Gently, he nudged the lid off an adjacent waste box a little. He peered into it, curious as to see what kind of fortunes would befall him on this day.

He almost didn't believe it when he saw a large hunk of meat sitting on top of the pile of waste. Although cold, this was an extremely rare find, since Blood Clan usually found the pickings before he did. He stretched his paw forward, trying to shift the meat towards him, but it was just out of his reach. He leaned closer, intent to get the best meal he'd had in moons.

He felt his paw brushed the flat slab of meat and he chanced leaning closer. He could feel his hind legs wobbling from the effort of keeping balance, but he knew he could do it. Even if he fell into the waste box, he could always get out. Though, he woud hate getting dirtier than he already was. Pushing his disgust aside, he jumped into the pile of stinking waste and clamped his jaws around the meat.

Although delicious, he had no idea how dearly he'd pay for something so trivial. He forgot to continousy check his surroundings. He spent too long in his attempts for a good meal. He couldn't notice the cat that was approaching him that very instant. He had messed up just once, but that is all it takes.

* * *

Tigger heard a furious yowl coming from the area just ahead of him. He looked around, wondering if it was just another of those many cat fights. The clan cats would know the difference between the yowls of a cat fight and a serious, defensive yowl, woundn't they? But nobody was there. _Should I take a look?_

As if to answer him, he heard another yowl, this time closer. And then he saw twoleg heads turn towards the direction of the sounds, some of them stopping to get a better look. But most of them didn't show any concern at all. He heard a screech now, one belonging to a cat in pain and in terrible fear. Abandoning his doubts, Tigger rushed towards the sounds, zipping between the twolegs clumsily.

He skidded to a halt at the corner of a building, where two cats were struggling. The bigger, blacker cat seemed to have the advantage, slashing at the smaller calico tom and driving him against the wall while his opponent tried to escape. The black tom was instantly upon him, pinning the struggling cat to the ground. In that moment, the black figure was no longer moving in a blur and Tigger instantly recognized him- Jaws.

Hatred and triumph glinted in the deputy's eyes as he leaned forward, speaking to his new prey. He was so intent by his capture, he didn't even seem to notice the twolegs quickly milling about, obviously disturbed at the scene. He didn't even seem to notice Tigger standing right in front of them, his eyes wide with shock and indecision.

"You ready to die?" Jaws hissed, his voice dripping with venom. Tigger stared at the unfortunate cat before him. He almost didn't recognize the wiry, playfully arrogant cat he saw at his window. _Ajax_. This whole time, everyone had talked about him as if he were something that no cat could fully understand- a mystery in their midst. They said he understood the giant twoleg nest from inside out. And they said that he was swift and evasive on his paws as well. He didn't think that it was possible for him to be captured- not like this.

Ajax let out another desperate yowl as he struggled against the weight on his back, though his efforts were futile. After all, Jaws was huge, healthy, and heavy. Jaws seemed to ready himself for the strike before Tigger yelled out in protest.

"But I thought we need him alive!"

If Jaws even heard him, he showed no signs. Everything seemed to happen in slow-motion to Tigger, everything around them turning into a blur and all the sounds congealing together in one angry humming sound.

_No! I need him alive! I need him to get home! I need to get home!_

"NO!" the word ripped through his throat as he rammed himself into Jaws. He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the impact of the ground. Once. Twice. He dug his claws into the deputy, his opponent struggling against his grip with all his fury.

They twisted and turned, a mass of writhing pelts until they came to a halt, exhausted. Tigger felt a pain cut through him as blood dripped down from his ear, but he ignored it. The world seemed to be spinning, and the flashing lights of the monster path only added to his confusion. He looked at the dark tom wearily as he drew in strong, ragged breaths.

He arched his back, anticipating Jaw's rage. It came at full force, knocking Tigger on his back. The poor tabby was so dizzy, so scared, so confused, he didn't feel like he had the strength to fight his way out this time. He wasn't the same cat he used to be. He was weak from hunger, lack of sleep, and adequate water. A soft whining noise escaped his lips as he struggled weakly, feeling sharp claws penetrate his defenses.

With a wretched yowl, Tigger kicked his hind legs up, pummeling the cat's belly. With one last effort, Tigger shot his front paws forward, scrabbling aimlessly, hoping his claws would catch on something. To his surprise, Jaws stumbled backwards, hissing as blood oozed out of a deep cut on his shoulder. His vision was bleary, and he saw swirls of shiny shapes dashing past them, a toxic smell blasting up his nose. And on the periphery of hs vision, he saw the colorful red lights flashed green.

The deputy looked as if he were going to say something, probably a threat, or an oath to end his life right there and then. But his hissing voice was cut short by the howl of a monster. Tigger stared at it, rooted to the spot. His mind drew a blank as it came closer to him at a rapid pace, its shining eyes blinding him. And suddenly, as if by some justice, some miracle, the monster swerved to one side, now aimed for the unsuspecting deputy.

Jaws glanced behind him, his eyes widening with fear before the monster's giant legs barrelled into him.

_Crunch!_ And then the monster's hind legs came after that. _Crunch!_

Tigger gaped at the disheveled mound of fur and blood. If he didn't see it himself, he never would have thought it was once a cat. The monster slowly came to a halt and a twoleg stuck her head out as if to inspect the damage, but her monster was restless and it continued onward, not even repentful for what happened. A blaring monster horn called his attention, its large, bright eyes dazzling him. He felt his legs shake from beneath him before he felt teeth clamp around the nape of his neck. He whirled around to see a pair of pale, wide eyes staring back at him.

"Come on!" Ajax pleaded desparately as he tugged at him.

"But what about-"

"You're on the monster path!"

Slowly, Tigger discerned the words from the droning ringing in his ears and scrambled out of harm's way. He was tired and he couldn't stop himself from shaking.

"Come on," the calico said, not as harshly as he intended, "Follow me!"

Another yowl cut into the air- one that chilled Tigger right to the bone. He twisted his head around. At first, he couldn't see anything past the zooming monsters, but looking closer, he saw Rattles glaring at him. A blue monster sped past, impeding his view. And when it left, Rattles was running away- towards Blood Clan. In his sheer horror, Tigger snapped back to reality.

"He's going to tell! Rattles is going to tell them! They're going to kill me! They'll _shred_ me!" he nearly choked.

"I know! Come on! We're going somewhere safe!" Ajax urged. Tigger nodded vigorously. _Yes! Yes! Please! Anywhere away from them! Anywhere! Take me home!_

He followed Ajax through all the twisting turns of the twoleg nest, and for a moment, Tigger's mind went back to the first day, when he was a naive little kittypet chasing the unknown. And then he remembered the fight, the terrifying images flashing through his mind.

"Down the tunnel," Ajax instructed quickly before disappearing into the gaping hole. Tigger obeyed instantly, not wanting to break the silence. He wanted to close his eyes and wake up in his bed, only to discover that everything was just a dream. Down the hole, left, right, back, forth, it didn't matter to Tigger, who padded behind his accomplice blankly.

Eventually, they got out of the quiet tunnel and were thrust into the outside world. Ajax padded on, checking behind his shoulder occasionally to see if Tigger was keeping up. Finally, he stopped by one of the big monster paths, where lights were strung up and held in the air, some red, some amber, and some a bright green.

"We're almost there," the calico meowed, "Just wait and go when I say so." Tigger didn't know why they were just sitting there, completely vulnerable to whatever dangers lay beyond the shadows. But Ajax appeared relatively calm, looking around periodically to see if there was any trouble approaching.

"Why are you helping me?" Tigger asked in a soft calm voice, though his tail was lashing back and forth and his ears were swiveling, betraying his anxiety.

"You helped me," Ajax answered simply, "I'm just returning the favor."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll find out."

The strange lights abruptly changed colors, hurting Tigger's eyes.

"Let's go," Ajax stepped lightly on the monster path, "It's quite safe, but try not to run." Tigger followed hesitantly while glancing at the monsters, who stood still side by side, watching them walk right past them with widened, white eyes. Tigger instantly felt the fur on his pelt stand on end as one of them made a purring noise and inched foward. He jumped slightly, padding up to Ajax's side as if just by being close, he could share in that fearless confidence.

Tigger's mind came back to one rumor he'd heard in Blood Clan. According to some, Ajax had gained special favor from the monsters. He was their favorite cat, so they never tried to kill him. Instead, they claimed that he could walk right in front of them and no harm would come to him. Tigger had dismissed it as some old fantasy they wove to instill even more hatred on the stray, yet now he was fully convinced.

As Ajax promised, they crossed without any harm done to them. And if Ajax wanted to flaunt his bravery or his bond with the monsters, he didn't show it. Instead, he simply continued on his way, still checking on Tigger as if he were some lost, pathetic kit. The idea of that would have infuriated Tigger, but instead, he was more concerned about whatever secrets Ajax held.

"How did you do that?" he asked, falling in step with his guide, "How did you make the monsters listen to you? You didn't say anything." The calico gave him a confused look.

"Do what? I didn't tell them anything."

"But they stopped for us. You knew they wouldn't even try to turn us into roadkill," Tigger insisted, "What did you do to make them stop?"

"I didn't do anything," Ajax answered, flicking his gaze around the twoleg nests, "I simply waited for the right moment." He looked at Tigger, who stared at him expectantly.

"Monsters are like twoleg pets, I think," he elaborated, "They do whatever the twoleg tells it to. Didn't you ever notice that a monster only wakes up when its twoleg master comes to it?" He looked at Tigger, who merely shook his head.

"And those color lights are there for a reason, I think," he continued, "I watched them and then I realized that when the lights on the opposite side turn red, the monsters stop so that the other monsters can pass. Once I saw two monsters try to eat each other. Both of them were injured and I think they died. I think that's what the color lights are for, so that the monsters don't fight each other.

"Green means that they move, and amber lights mean that the monsters are going to stop. I like to think of it as a secret code. The twolegs are amazing, using the monsters and coming up with their own rules, don't you think? ... Did you actually think that I _talked_ to them?" he snorted sarcastically. Instead of retaliating as usual, Tigger just stared ahead, feeling emberraced by his ignorance.

_"How does a stray know more about twolegs than I do? I mean, I live with them!"_

"Alright, here we are, the old waste place," Ajax said as he veered left and into an abandoned area. There were barely any lights and the twoleg nests in the area were dark and threatened to crumble. There was a sickening smell in the air and looming up in front of them was a dark, colossal shape surrounded by a metal fence.

"What is this place?" Tigger asked, disgust leaking from his voice.

"This is my home," Ajax answered as he padded forward towards the gates.

There was a sharp, metalic jingle and a large shape rose up on its four paws growling. Tigger sprang into the air, startled and hissing. He smelled this scent before! _Dog_! And this was no playful pup either. This one was huge- much bigger than the ones he'd seen in his life. From what Tigger could tell, its sharp teeth had clamped on bone and flesh before.

"Kill! Kill! Meat! Kill!" it barked, its fangs glistening in the dim light.

"Ajax! It's a- it's a dog!" Tigger yowled as it barelled towards him.

* * *

**I'm quite proud of the chapter, though I thought the action died off a little towards the end and piqued up again as a cliffhanger. I hope you guys liked it because it's about time that something really interesting happened.**

**I don't refer to Tigger as Chillpaw. That name's more reserved for Hawkfrost, I think.**

**And Ajax is quite smart for a stray, understanding human intentions more in-depth than most cats. Though, he still doesn't quite understand completely.**

**Please Review. Any comments, suggestions, constructive criticism, name suggestions, opinions, corrections, ideas, questions, etc. are always welcome here. Bye.**


	7. Survival of the Smartest

**First of, Special Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter: Jarrtail, FoxStar24, Tinselpool, Kylyn, Tenacross, and Martin the Warrior (anonymous). **

**Second of all, Special Thanks to Cinnamonpool & Tinselpool for their help with this chapter. Wow, my first draft was a mess. XD**

* * *

**Survival of the Smartest**

* * *

Chess heard the familiar _slam_ as the twoleg exited the room. He used to love it when she was gone, but it was different now. There will be no more racing through the room, playfighting, jumping on the countertop, or anything of meaning. Tigger was gone and he was all alone now.

For days he had crouched by the window, staring down at the shapes, hoping that when the time comes, he would be able to discern his brother from the rest of the crowd. But days turned to nights, and there was never any sign of his brother. And when he wasn't staring through the window, he would be on Tigger's favorite couch, thinking back to those bygone days when they were kits.

Those two loved to wrestle each other around and wreak havoc throughout the rooms. They were known to be the closest and most mischievious pair and now... Chess couldn't help but feel that his life was now gray and meaningless without his constant companion. He had never imagined life without his brother- much less experienced it.

And as the lonely days went by, Chess stopped eating, his frame becoming gaunt and his fur lacking its usual sheen. And to further his misery, the twoleg had fastened a collar on him and had been fussing over him, trying to make him eat and taking him to the vet's.

She had also taken a liking to bringing other cats over, but Chess's listless behavior couldn't be changed so easily. Of all cats to be brought to the nest, Nala was the most frequent. Up until now, Chess had no idea that the beautiful, white she-cat was so light-headed. When asked, all she could say was that "Tigger was so silly, chasing after Ajax like that. He's probably lost."

How could she be so neutral about all that? Isn't she worried about Tigger at all? Chess sighed as he continued staring at the window. He would constantly see the restless twolegs shifting about amongst each other while the monsters zoomed past them. Did nobody care that Tigger was gone now? Was nobody even out there looking for him? Didn't anybody care that he could be dead right now? That his brother would never see him again and will be sick with grief? Why was the world just simply passing by as if nothing happened?

And the world seemed so bitterly colorless, loud, and harsh from the high windows. Was Tigger really out there? How could he be surviving in such a place?

Chess's ears drooped at the depressing questions he's been asking himself. _If Tigger is out there somewhere, he's trying to find his way back. I know him. He never gives up. But until that time..._

_Please be safe Tigger. Come back..._

* * *

Tigger leaped backwards, stumbling over several waste boxes in the process. At the rate the dog was speeding towards him, Tigger knew he didn't have the time to get back on his paws. He shut his eyes, hoping that his death would be swift. But instead, he heard a metalic _clink!_ and the dog was howling at him, making snuffling sounds.

Tigger opened his eyes cautiously to see the dog standing on his hind paws, straining against his chain leash as his front paws swatted at the empty air. And there, standing his ground was Ajax, seeming calm despite the terrifying barks. Tigger's eyes narrowed as he thought he heard several snatches of words from the dog's malicious sounds. It was hardly discernable, yet several words seemed to stand out against the wild calls.

"Kill! Meat! Kill! _Kill_!"

"Bruiser, he's with me!" Ajax meowed, taking a tentative step back. The dog got back on all fours and made growling sounds at him.

"_How these dogs talk to one another, I'll never understand,"_ Tigger thought to himself.

"You'll get your meat if Blood Clan comes near here," Ajax nodded slowly, "Blood Clan... is... _meat._" The vicious black dog grunted in reply and stalked back to his shelter, a small shack in the corner, draped by a thread-bare cloth. Despite its barren domain, the dog didn't seem malnurished, only strong and bloodthirsty.

Tigger swallowed nervously at the prospect of the dog's fangs tearing through flesh- whether it was Blood Clan flesh or not.

"Come on," the calico said as he walked up to the gates.

"What did he say?" Tigger demanded, "What did you tell him?"

"Follow me," Ajax replied with a nonchalant flick of his tail. Tigger felt anger rush up inside him, but he held it down. He looked back at the dog, who was curled up in his corner, staring at him hungrily. Cautiously, Tigger padded after the stray, hoping that he knew what he was doing.

As he followed after him, he couldn't help but stare at the strange shapes that littered the area. All of them were huge bulks and masses of varying structures, each of them bashed and rusted. It took him several seconds for him to realize that these were monsters, lying still and asleep- or dead. The stark, ghostly figues lay heaped against each other, seeming almost lonely and mournful.

Once he caught up to his side, Ajax started to speak.

"This is the place where they keep the dead and injured monsters," he began, "Don't worry though, because they're harmless without their twolegs."

"But what happened to them?" Tigger whispered, as if the sound of his voice could set the monsters loose on him.

"They either became too old or disobeyed their code and tried to eat another monster," he replied as he leaped on top of one. Tigger followed, though hesitant and unsure about the monster's dormant state.

"The twolegs here heal them sometimes, but if they ever wake up, they're usually crippled and very weak," he continued, "But that rarely ever happens. I live in one of them... the monsters, I mean. They are pretty good shelter, even if they are dead."

"Living in a _monster_? But what if it wakes up?"

"That won't happen," Ajax answered confidently, leaping across the broken bodies.

"Then... what about the dog? What was it saying?" Tigger ventured, talking as he walked. _This Ajax cat is strange, but he's been able to evade Blood Clan for so long. He knows things about the twoleg place that even they don't know._

"You Blood Clan cats really don't know anything, do you?" he purred mockingly, "Besides killing dogs for their teeth and claws, there are certain other uses they have... such as protection."

"Protection?" the kittypet cocked his head sideways in confusion. In response, the stray flicked his tail.

"Do I have to tell you _everything_? I get to stay someplace safe from Blood Clan here as long as I give Bruiser some scraps. With him protecting this place, it's quite safe here. I doubt Blood Clan would dare to come close."

"But why does he let _you _pass?" Tigger interrupted, "Why did you tell him that Blood Clan is meat?"

"Well, he lets me come and leave as I please, just as long as I deliver scraps to him, since his twolegs don't feed him often. Hopefully, some mousebrained cat would wander over here and I wouldn't have to worry about meat for a while."

"That's terrible!" he hissed, feeling the slight admiration fade. _What if it was Tabs that was mauled to death by that dog?_

"That's the way it is," Ajax replied tersely, "That's what they get for all the evil they've brought to this place. Everything was fine before they came here and took over the streets, killing the other strays that live here." Tigger hunched his shoulders at the harsh words.

"But there are good cats out there," he insisted, "They're just following Bone's orders." Ajax wrinkled his nose at the clan's defense.

"Stop being so naive," Ajax yawned, "You and I both know that Bone is as insane and power-hungry as a leader gets. He's always looking over his shoulder, scared of his own stupid shadow."

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" Tigger asked, salvaging the memories of that black and white memories from his mind, "A big cat like that is never afraid of anything."

"_That_ cat? That cat is always surrounding himself by his warriors, making sure that all of his cats remain 'loyal' to him," he spat. Tigger was shocked, since Ajax never seemed more cocky than bitter.

"He's terrified of losing his position as leader- that some cat will finally have enough and would turn against him... or that his entire clan would desert him," the stray finished.

"... Is that what happened to you? Did you run away from Blood Clan?"

"Do I seem like a Blood Clan cat to you?" the calico asked, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

"You know the twoleg nest like one..."

"Only because I was born here," Ajax shugged, "And at one point, I wasn't the only cat to know the tunnels. It was almost like common knowlege until Blood Clan came."

"And then what happened?" Tigger ventured. He noticed Ajax's ears twitch slightly before they flattened.

"...Doesn't matter," he meowed, "We're almost at my den anyways." Tigger felt a familiar tug of sympathy for the stray. Blood Clan had made him sound so myterious and untouchable- almost as if he defied Blood Clan like some dangerous rebel. But seeing him now, he seemed more like a scraggly runaway than anything else. Just a loner trying to survive all by himself.

Ajax halted near a small, rusty, battered monster and nodded towards it.

"That can't be where you live," Tigger meowed in dismay. _When I thought about living in a monster, I at least thought that it would be a big one!_

"Just get in the hole," the stray instructed in an irritated tone, flicking his tail in indication at a small rusted opening in the monster's belly. Tigger padded forward, inspecting the entrance carefully. As if reading his thoughts, Ajax spoke up.

"It's a tight squeeze, but you should be able to get through." With those words in mind, Tigger poked his head in and squeezed through relatively easily despite his doubts.

The inside of the monster was reminiscent to what Tigger remembered. It was spacious and there were large, soft mounds where twolegs would sit- the largest at the back and two smaller ones in the front. And in the front, a circular object jutted forward. Tigger found himself missing the days when he would leisurely sit on his twoleg's lap, blissfully unaware of the dangers of these monsters.

And then something shifted in one of the smaller seats up front.

Tigger jumped, frightened of the moving shadow.

"Twist," Tigger felt relieved at the sound of Ajax's voice, "Twist, it's me. I've brought someone."

"Twist? Who's Twist?" the kittypet asked.

"Just another stray that lives around here," Ajax shrugged as the shadowy figure came forward shyly.

To Tigger, she was small, more thin and wiry than Ajax, and had coarse, pale fur. Her green eyes gleamed softly under the moonlight as she inched towards him. Tigger couldn't quite understand why she seemed so uneasy. After all, he was still practically a kit- not much of a threat, after all.

And then he saw her front paw.

It was bent and twisted in the wrong direction. She noticed him gawking at her disfigurement and seemed to shy away slightly before Ajax spoke up.

"It's alright," he meowed soothingly. Taking his words to heart, she seemed to calm down slightly, yet Tigger could still see her tail twitching nervously. _How did her paw get that way? It must have hurt a lot..._

"This is Tigger from Blood Clan," he introduced.

"I'm not from Blood Clan," Tigger defended himself. From all that Ajax has said about the clan, he didn't want him to think that he was really a part of that blood-thirsty group. He was just an innocent victim. That was all.

"I was never from Blood Clan," he continued, "I was _forced_ to join them."

"Really?" Ajax asked skeptically, cocking his head to one side, "But they'd never let a kit like you join them." The kittypet narrowed his eyes at the stray, feeling the pent-up anger and frustration boiling inside him. Was he saying that he didn't look like a fighter? That he wasn't as good as Blood Clan? He was only two moons younger, so why does Ajax have to act like he's so tough? If it wasn't for his help, he'd have been ripped up by Jaws by now! And it was all Ajax's fault that he was in this mess!

"Don't tell me you don't remember!" Tigger snapped, digging his claws in the soft innards of the monster, "_I_ chased you! And _I_ followed you down those tunnels! _I_ got lost! And now _I_ got stuck with Blood Clan! It was all your fault!" Ajax's eyes widened by the sudden outburst and the realization that came along with it. He swallowed slowly before responding calmly.

"I... I think I remember you... but it's not my fault if you get yourself lost. You shouldn't have followed me in the first place."

"Well I did. And I want to go home now! I saved your life and now I need you to show me how to get home!" Tigger insisted, forcing himself to calm down.

"Alright, alright," Ajax meowed softly, casting a concerned look at Twist's way, "But this is only because I owe you my life. And we have to leave now before they get their patrols fully organized." With that, he nodded at the quiet she-cat.

"Twist, I'll come back later." And then, without giving Tigger a second glance, he was down the shallow opening again.

"Wait a minute!" Tigger yelled as he clamored after him.

_"I'm finally going to go home,"_ he felt his heart lift at the revelation, _"Home... back to a warm bed, safe from Blood Clan, back with Chess. He couldn't imagine Chess's face when he would show up at the window, ready to be let in. They'd be back together again and he could tell him of how he'd been surviving the past several days, all the terrifying cats he'd faced, meeting Tabs, confronting the terrifying leader, and meeting their greatest enemy, Ajax the stray. He was sure Chess wouldn't envy his experience, but it would make an exciting tale._

But then other thoughts started invading his mind- thoughts that confused him.

_"But do I really want to return to that soft kittypet life when I've already tasted freedom? It wasn't the free life of a clan cat that I hated, only Blood Clan... and what was it that Hawkfrost said? That I'm a descendent of a warrior? Then it's in my blood to be a fighter, to live my life in the open skies to do as I please. It would be like living in the forest, wouldn't it? I would be just like Hawkfrost..."_

And slowly, a plan began forming in his mind.

* * *

And underneath the bleak night sky, other, more sinister plans were forming as well.

Surrounded by his loyal followers, Bone addressed the crouching cat in front of him. His dangerous green eyes narrowed at the disturbing news of the deputy's sudden death. He wouldn't have believed the news if more of his own cats had returned, confirming that there was a body on the monster path and that Jaws was nowhere to be found.

And the cause of the death was even more disturbing to the black and white tom. It was _Tigger_, that cat he determined a spineless kittypet. He had sealed his fate when he turned against Blood Clan for that miserable stray Ajax.

"You!" he snapped at the cat before him.

"Y-yes Bone?" Rattles stammered.

"Show the patrol where they were headed! I want patrols set everywhere in our territory by tomorrow morning! I want Tigger and Ajax _dead_!" he rasped as he slashed at the ground, his voice dripping with venom.

* * *

**Well, I decided to name this chapter "Survival of the Smartest" because let's face it, Ajax is a pretty bright character. :D**

**As for Twist, we'll start covering her character some more. She's just shy, which explains her extreme lack of dialogue.**

**And please review this chapter. Whether it's positive or negative, I really don't mind as long as it's honest. So any constructive criticism, questions, suggestions, name suggestions (really helpful), etc. are welcome. If you don't feel like reviewing, thanks for reading anyways.**


	8. Shroud of Deceit

**I'm so so sorry for the late update. I have been so busy lately, you have no idea. I don't think you can expect regular updates from me anymore. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter, since there is a lot of stuff going on and you understand a little bit more about what's going on with Hawkfrost and stuff. **

**Special thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Tinselpool, Foxstar24, Cinnamonpool, Kylyn, Tenacross, Red Squirrel Writer, and Jarrtail. Thanks a lot guys. :D**

**And special thanks to Tinselpool and Cinnamonpool for helping me edit this.**

**Note: This chapter has been revised**

* * *

**Shroud of Deceit**

* * *

Tigger felt as if he'd been wandering around the tunnels for forever. It was so dark and full of stale smells. It truly was a wonder that Ajax was able to maneuver through this dank maze. Left, right, straight, up, down- Tigger could barely remember the way they've been going.

However, he was paying careful attention to detail, trying to form a map in his mind. And every now and then, he would brush his pelt against the walls, hoping his scent wouldn't fade away completely because of the stench of the stale underground air. Suddenly, Ajax's voice disturbed the mutual silence between him, jerking him out of his focus.

"So how will you get back in?" his companion asked quietly.

"Hm?" Tigger's mind jolted back to reality, his head snapping up, "Get back where?"

"To your twoleg nest," Ajax replied hastily, keeping up his fast pace, as usual.

"I'm not going back..."

It was then that Ajax's stride faltered, and he seemed to stumble a little before he whirled his head around.

"What do you mean you're not going back?"

"I mean that I don't want to be a kittypet anymore," Tigger replied, holding his chin up slightly. "I deserve better than to live the rest of my life cooped up in some boring place! It isn't natural! There's more to this world than just lying around to be stroked by some twoleg. There are things I want to do, places I want to see."

Ajax was quiet for a while, so still that only the slightest twitching of his tail betrayed his agitation.

"Do you know what you're losing when you decide to leave forever?" he asked, his voice tainted with bitterness. Tigger found his ears flattening against his head with uncertainty. He didn't think that Ajax would take this so seriously. But what did it matter to him anyway? Still unsure, Tigger swallowed nervously before he replied.

"What do you mean by that...?"

"Do you know how many cats would _kill_to have a home to go to? To never have to worry about starving or being killed by dogs? Do you?" he snapped, the fur on his neck rippling upwards. For once, Tigger found himself afraid of the wiry calico. Normally, Ajax seemed far from a threat. He wasn't big or particularly muscular, and he never had any ferocity in him, though at the moment, he seemed like a completely different cat- a wild, spiteful look in his eyes.

In response, Tigger simply stood fixed to the spot, his shoulders squared, his claws unsheathed, and his back legs poised for a pounce. Slowly, the stray recovered his repose, finally becoming the easy-going cat that Tigger was familiar with. With a quick flick of the tail, Ajax's back was turned to him, padding away swiftly.

"It's your choice then... We're almost there," Ajax whispered, his voice echoing like a sound lost in time. Tigger just simply followed cautiously, breathing a soft sigh of relief, glad that the situation didn't get out of control. If anything, the encounter only showed him how cats like Ajax were only _seemingly _harmless- that deep down inside, he had the same volatile nature of a Blood Clan cat.

_"If I stay here... would I become like that? The strays aren't very different from the Blood Clan cats... is a clan cat any different? Would I really be better off as a kittypet, away from all of them?"_ He shuddered at the thought. _"No. Not me. I wouldn't change to be like Blood Clan... not me..."_

Quickly, distracted himself with the thought of his plans. He had to keep his attention sharp- he would need to recall everything later on. He would have to focus if he were to go through with his plans.

* * *

_Scritchscritchscritch... scritchscrithscritch... stritch..._

Chess squeezed his eyes shut as he rubbed his forehead against his bed, his ears twitching at the sound.

_Scritchscritch... scritchscritchscritch..._

The dark gray kittypet tucked his hind paws underneath him, curling up into a tighter ball in an attempt to evade that noise.

_Scritch... Scriiiitch... scritch..._

Slowly, annoyed by being distracted from his sleep, Chess raised his head and blinked blearily, giving out a lengthy yawn. He had never heard those sounds before in his life. He waited, his ears pricked for any more disturbances. It was quiet again, the room seeming to be filled with only empty darkness. The eerie silence floated in the atmosphere, interrupted only by the soft clicking sounds of that twoleg thing on the wall.

_Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock..._

Satisfied by the long moments of wonderful peace, he lowered his head back to his bed, ready to return to his blissful state of unconsciousness.

_Scritchscritchscritchscritch... scritchscritch..._

Chess's eyes popped open, glinting softly with irritation. Now fully awakened by the noise, the kittypet dragged his paws out of bed. _Just what is that noise? My housefolk is sleeping... the on-and-off water isn't flowing... the other twolegs should be asleep at night... it could be from the Outside... it could be... Tigger...? Tigger!_

Instantly, Chess's spirit was brimming with hope. He quickened his pace, padding up to the sound. From what he could hear, those tiny noises were coming from the other side of the draped window. He leapt on top of the couch, the irritating racket now the most beautiful thing to his ears. It was getting louder now, from faint scratching tones to grating, desperate scratches- like paws scrabbling against the window.

_Scratchscratchscratch... SCRATCH... SCRATCHSCRATCHSCRATCHSCRATCH..._

Eagerly, Chess thrust his nose against the blinds, fighting against the stubborn thing with his muzzle until he could peek a crack. He meowed in surprise at what awaited him on the other side of his world. A thin, hungry, wild-looking creature crouching on the windowsill- staring directly at him with hard amber eyes.

Chess skipped back in surprise, nearly falling off the couch in the process.

_Who is that cat? What is he doing here?_ And then his hopes began to sink, watering down into nothingness as he stared desolately at his paws. _But where's Tigger? Where's my brother...?_

"Chess! Chess!" a familiar voice hissed. The gray cat snapped his vision up at the window, the crack in the blinds revealing those same, familiar amber eyes that he'd missed so much. Chess staggered to his paws, still confused, but so relieved.

"Tigger...? Is that you?" he meowed softly. He didn't know why his voice was so quiet. He wanted to yowl his lungs out in joy. He wanted to leap up and down and wake his twoleg. But something in Tigger's tone stayed his emotions- something was troubling him.

* * *

Tigger was glad to see his brother again, but he was puzzled by Chess's reaction to his homecoming. He had expected him to rush up at the window, yowling his head off or something, but he seemed so scared.

"All your scratching has finally got his attention then?" Ajax meowed.

"He's here," Tigger replied, his voice distracted as he swiveled his head, trying to see through the small crack in the blinds.

"Alright, I'm going to wait over there," the wiry calico replied, pointing his tail at a nearby patio. However, Tigger was still peeking through the crack, obviously ignoring him. With a sigh, Ajax padded off on his way, leaping over beams, flowerpots, and obstacles with all the natural grace and silence of a cat.

"Tigger?" Chess's voice sounded so muffled behind the window, "Where have you been all this time?! I was so worried!" Immediately, Chess's bulky head pushed its way past the troublesome blinds and was pressed against the window, his purrs vibrating the glass.

"I've been looking for you too," Tigger answered, rubbing his head against the barrier as well. At first, he felt so ridiculous, acting as if the glass wasn't there. But he couldn't help himself. All his emotions were pouring out right now. He'd been through so much and he felt so alone, separated by everything he'd grown up with. But now... now his heart ached with a mixture of happiness and sadness. Happiness because he found his way back to his brother. Sadness because he had come so far only to be separated by some stupid window.

But that wouldn't be for long.

"Chess... Chess, listen to me," he whispered as he glanced around to make sure Ajax was out of earshot.

"Yes?" his brother purred, the blinds making sharp crinkling sounds as he continued to rub his head against the glass.

"Listen to me Chess," Tigger continued. "I was living in the Outside for such a long time... Do you want to come with me?" He watched as his brother stiffened at the question, and looked at him questioningly, though curious at the same time.

"The Outside, Tigger?" he gasped, "But it's so big out there! And you look so thin and hungry and..."

"You don't look so good either," the dark tabby meowed in response, indicating Chess's gaunt frame.

"I was so lonely without you... I couldn't eat... I couldn't sleep... I was _that_ worried," his brother confessed, not seeming the least bit embarrassed.

"You..." Tigger tilted his head off to the side, "You missed me that much?" He felt a pang of guilt right there and then. He never missed Chess _that much_... and he certainly didn't even think that he was loved so much. He quickly changed the subject, his eyes glinting eagerly as he explained, knowing that soon he'll have both his brother and the life he'd always wanted.

"You won't believe how much fun it is here," he mewed, lie after lie spilling out of his mouth. "I mean, look at how big it is! It's so exciting to explore! There's so much to see, so many cats to meet- and they're all so friendly!" He watched as Chess's expressive eyes grew wide with interest.

"I'll tell you all about it some other time," Tigger added quickly, feeling the guilt prick into his mind.

_"He'll like living here, wouldn't he?"_ he thought to himself, trying to sound convincing._ "We don't have to live in this place... we could live our lives in the forest! We could live there together! We'd love our new life!"_

"Tigger!" a new voice cut in, "We have to get moving now. We can't stay in one place for too long."

"Alright," he responded, a look of annoyance crossing his face.

"Tigger, who was that?" his brother piped up, eyes flicking side to side to catch a glimpse of this mystery cat.

"Ajax is a friend of mine. You'd like him- but that's not the point," he answered hastily, his words streaming out as time pressed down on him. "I have to go soon but-"

"But why?" Chess protested, "I'll get the twoleg for you!"

"No! No!" Tigger hissed, "Listen to me, Chess! Listen! I can't come back there!" He paused, lowering his gaze to his paws in guilt. Chess looked so shocked, so confused, so _hurt_. He looked back up again, drawing a deep breath before he continued.

"Chess, you're wasting your life away living where you are now. You have to get out of there. There's a whole world to see out here. Do you want to live the rest of your life waiting for something important or exciting to happen?"

"But-" Chess squeaked.

"I know that you don't understand," Tigger said, softening his voice in an attempt to sound more understanding. "I didn't think our life was boring until the Outside opened my eyes to everything. You wouldn't believe how little we have until we get out and see all we have missed- see what adventures there are out here- the life you could live!" He stood there, crouching at the windowsill, waiting eagerly for his brother's response, only to see him shake his head in doubt and disbelief.

"I don't know Tigger," he replied, "I don't know. Why can't you stay here? What was so wrong with our life before?"

"I'll be miserable if I go back there," the tabby insisted, "Chess, _please_. I can't go through with this without you around. I'll take care of you- I'll make sure you're happy. I promise!"

"But- but the twoleg," Chess meowed, "She would be worried. She was so sad when you left and-"

"But _I'm_more important!" Tigger practically hissed, causing his brother to flinch.

_"Calm down Tigger... Calm down... you didn't mean it... you didn't mean it..."_ he told himself, taking deep breaths to reclaim his composure. _"The last thing I need to do is show that the Outside has changed me... it didn't change me, did it? I'm not like the rest of them- I'm not!"_

"Listen! You care more about me more than anything else right?" Tigger meowed, feeling a surge of relief and satisfaction as Chess nodded numbly, still confounded by the situation. This whole time, he thought that if Tigger ever came home, they would be happy together forever. Chess berated himself inwardly for having such naive thoughts- thinking that Tigger would never change. But what if he wouldn't like the Outside? It was so strange- so _different_.

"Come with me then! Come with me, okay?" Tigger pleaded. Chess looked at him, and looked back at his home, and then back at his brother again. Tigger held his breath as Chess remained silent, hesitant about the offer. Finally, he found his voice to say something.

Tigger didn't know if it was the desperate note ringing in his voice, if Chess was feeling pressured, or if he somehow felt the same pulse of excitement he felt. But whatever it was, Chess nodded quietly, still seeming conflicted- but that was enough for Tigger.

"I'll come for you then!" he mewed in a hushed, but enthusiastic whisper. After all, he didn't want Ajax to know everything. _I'll be fine. Ajax doesn't need to tell me how to do everything and make decisions all the time. I can make my own decisions._

"The twoleg always leaves the nest in sunhigh, right?"

"She still does that every day," Chess confirmed.

"When she opens the door, run out of there and run down the steps. I'll meet you on the Outside, alright?" he instructed quickly, keeping an eye on Ajax, who was growing ever more impatient.

"Promise me you'll be there?" his brother asked, seeming terrified of the idea.

"You'll love it," Tigger replied, hoping that he wouldn't regret dragging Chess into this. "I promise."

"That's enough for me," he purred, giving the window a lick.

"Tigger! Come on!" Ajax hissed. Tigger turned his head to see the calico stray disappearing down the flight of steps before turning back to Chess.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," he meowed as he hopped down the windowsill. He looked back, taking one more furtive look at his brother before running off into the night.

It felt strange, knowing that Chess cared so much about him. _Can't I live both paws in both worlds? I love having all the food I want, but I want to live a real life. I want to live like a clan cat, not some kittypet. And I want Chess... but will he actually like the Outside life? I just lied to him..._ He instantly pushed those troubling thoughts out of his mind again. _Whatever happens, he'll forgive me when I show him everything it means to be a real clan cat..._

* * *

_Tigger opened his eyes and found himself in the familiar darkened forests once more. It was strange. He remembered being tired and returning to the junkyard, but he didn't remember falling asleep. But that didn't matter- he was hoping for this. Only one cat could calm him down now. Only one cat would possibly understand what he was going through._

_"Hawkfrost?" he called out._

_"No," an eerie, whispery voice replied, seemingto come from every direction, "It's me..."_

_"What?! What?!" Tigger called out, twisting his head around to see this stranger._

_"Over here..."_

_"Over where?"_

_"Behind you..."_

_Tigger froze right there and then, feeling his breath suddenly grow cold. Slowly, cautiously, he slowly turned his head and there it was. He had expected to see some hideous ghost or something, but to his relief, it was only a cat. He breathed a sigh before he forced his face into a serious expression._

_"Who are you?" he asked coolly at the shadowy black cat._

_"You've seen me before..." the stranger offered the information, as if hoping it would trigger Tigger's memory. The kittypet's eyes widened at the sudden realization of who he was speaking to. _

_"You're that cat! That cat that Hawkfrost scared away!" he exclaimed, his serious and confident demeanor deteriorating, becoming more curious and kit-like. The cat simply nodded, his amber eyes gleaming faintly._

_"Then... then..." Tigger glanced around the clearing, making sure that there was no sign of Hawkfrost, "Since Hawkfrost isn't here, finish what you were going to say before." But the stranger looked down, as if shy at the very mention of the ghostly tabby's name._

_"What? What is it?" Tigger meowed with concern. The stranger looked away, refusing to make eye contact as he shook his head._

_"I don't remember anymore..."_

_"But-" Tigger felt his voice falter slightly before he forced himself to continue, "But you were saying that I looked like a cat you knew... Right? Were you saying that I looked like Hawkfrost?" The black tom merely shook his head, looking down in some submissive manner._

_"I don't- it doesn't matter."_

_"But it does matter!" the kittypet insisted. "For all I know, you could know my own father! It makes sense, doesn't it? I never knew my father, but Hawkfrost says I'm a decendent of clan cats and- and he could be my father!" He didn't mean for his explanations to come out in garbled gasps, but that's just what happened. The tom only sighed mournfully as he looked up at Tigger._

_"I don't think you quite understand anything yet, young warrior... But no, I never knew your father... but I was talking about a different cat... a clan cat..."_

_Tigger felt his heart quicken at the very mention of the clans. What was it that made him so excited just by hearing about them? Why was he, of all cats, coming into contact with these long-dead warriors- the very beings of legend? And if he truly was a decendent of some clan cat, why wasn't Chess getting any of these dreams? ... Or did he? If he did, he certainly didn't show it._

_"Tell me about the clans then," Tigger pleaded, too eager to notice how small and immature he sounded. "What clan did you come from? What was it like? What was your warrior name? Who was your leader? Was Hawkfrost a leader? He's definately big enough!"_

_Amusement seemed to glisten in his eyes as he summoned his faded memories into mind. Surely it would be perfectly harmless, just to talk about his days among the living. _

_"Back when I was still with Thunderclan, I was known as Darkstripe," he said quietly, seeming as if he was simply talking to himself. "I was a respected warrior among the clan and we were the strongest- that is, until a kittypet came along..." His eyes narrowed and came alive with hatred before he noticed Tigger's shocked expression and corrected himself._

_"But you're not an average kittypet," he said hurriedly, hoping that the young cat wouldn't abandon him now. "I didn't mean to offend you." He gave the young tabby a pleading look, begging him to disregard that insult. To his relief, Tigger nodded in compliance, though there was now a thin line of tension between them now._

_Awkwardly, Darkstripe settled back in to his story, hoping that the incident would soon be forgotten if he gave his new-found companion the information he wanted. _

_"We were powerful and strong, fierce and proud. Of course, we were superior to the other clans, though we stayed true to the warrior code, only defending our territory and never invading another. And every full moon, the four clans would gather at Four Trees and talk under a sacred truce," he continued._

_"Can you tell me about the training you would go through?" Tigger interrupted. "I'm Hawkfrost's apprentice right now so I want to know how long it would take me to become a full-fledged warrior! I want to be the best warrior. I_ need _to get stronger." Darkstripe cocked his head to the side in interest._

_"An apprentice? Hawkfrost's apprentice?"_

_"And my apprentice name is Chillpaw!" Tigger meowed proudly. _

_"Well Chillpaw, Hawkfrost is a fine warrior," he nodded, "So you should excel in your training. The best apprentices learn only from the best mentors. I was lucky to have the strongest, bravest cat as mine."_

_"Really? And who was your mentor?" Tigger asked._

_"Well, you look just like him," Darkstripe replied vaguely, watching Tigger's surprised reaction spread throughout his face._

_"Who is he? What was he like? Is he my father? Is he my kin?" he padded closer, enthusiastic and eager to hear all._

_Darkstripe parted his mouth before he noticed something odd about Tigger. He seemed to be shimmering slightly, growing paler and paler as his amber eyes looked on, pleading for him to continue. He saw the pink of his tongue as he tried to speak and then he vanished altogether, dissolving into the night._

_And he was gone- back to the real world- the world of the living._

_Alone once more, the dark tom sighed and wrapped his tail around his paws. _

_"You don't know anything just yet Chillpaw..." he whispered to himself. Just then, he felt the fur on his neck instinctively begin to rise. He turned his head to see none other than Hawkfrost looking at him through narrowed, penetrating blue eyes._

_"Did you talk to him?" he growled as Darkstripe rose to his paws._

_"N-n-n-o! No I didn't!" he stammered as he backed away, but Hawkfrost was already quickly approaching with powerful, confident strides. Darkstripe's throat erupted in a screech as the huge tabby warrior pinned him to the ground with little effort, one paw pressed firmly on his belly and the other stamped on his neck. His cruel claws glistened in the pale light, threatening to pierce his throat._

_"What did you tell him?!" he hissed demandingly._

_"I didn't tell him anything!" Darkstripe yowled pitifully._

_"Did you tell him about Tigerstar?" his voice grew louder and deeper with each moment, his eyes glinting with fury._

_"No! No! Let me go!" the black warrior insisted as he struggled half-heartedly against Hawkfrost's hold. With a grimace of disdain, the tabby warrior released him, allowing Darkstripe to get to his paws once more. _

_"You may have been Tigerstar's follower, but you were never worthy to stand beside him," he said with an icy calmness, "And take this as a warning... if you _ever_ tell Chillpaw of his destiny you will regret it. I can't kill you, but I will hunt you down and attack you every waking moment. Do you understand?" _

_"Y-yes," the black warrior nodded numbly, reverting back to a shell of his old self. Satisfied with the answer, Hawkfrost stalked off, the thoughts in his head turning in his mind._

_"... If Chillpaw ever finds out what I have in store for him... everything Tigerstar worked for would be ruined..."_

* * *

**Hm? What destiny is Hawkfrost talking about? What does Tigerstar have planned for the little kittypet? **

**Well, that's it then. Please remember to review and all that stuff. Constructive criticisms, ideas, corrections, name suggestions, questions, etc. are always welcome. For those of you who just don't feel like reviewing, thanks for reading anyways. Bye.**


	9. Blind Bravado

**Hm, not exactly proud of this chapter as much as the last one. But oh well. I really think it's as good as it's gonna get. It's not really bad, just redundant since a lot of stuff happens that you probably expected anyways. **

**And as for the sucky title, I'm really sorry I couldn't think of anything better here. I just liked it because both words started with a "B" and a bravado is a "swaggering display of courage." I guess it makes sense, since it does focus a bit on Tigger's sense of pride and stuff.**

**And if the beginning seems a little forced and awkward, it's meant to be like that so just hang in there.**

**Special thanks to all who reviewed my last chapter: Kylyn, Jarrtail, Tinselpool, Tainted Lullaby, and Red Squirrel Writer. Thanks a bunch guys.**

**And an extra special thanks to my Beta Readers: Tinselpool and Cinnamonpool. I feel bad that they had to go through the torture of reading and editing the first draft. :P**

**And as an added note, a lot of you must be wondering why Hawkfrost wants to keep Tigger's identity a secret. Well, if you think about it, it wouldn't really be smart to tell someone "Hey, guess what, do you know you were evil in the past?" That would freak him out a bit. That's only a bit of the reason why, so just keep reading and I'll clarify in future chapters.**

* * *

**Blind Bravado**

* * *

_"Who is he? What was he like? Is he my father? Is he my kin?" he padded closer to Darkstripe, enthusiastic and eager to hear all. Suddenly, the night sky seemed to close in on his vision, as if a shadow was now folding down against the clearing. And then he looked to Darkstripe, staring at him with surprise. And after that... Darkness._

_Everything was gone... all he could hear was the blood roaring in his ears, his heartbeat drumming... _

Tigger opened his eyes to the stinging shards of light, blinking as he cleared his head. Drowsily, he stretched his mouth in a wide yawn, lazily swiping his pink tongue over his lips as he regained his bearings. He was too dazed to feel any kind of shock. The only thing he felt at first was confusion, and then a bit of curiosity as he scanned his surroundings.

He was lying in a spacious but cluttered space furnished with soft, plushy cushions that had whitish-yellow fluff sticking out from several ripped holes. The area had some dusty shine to it, and there was a hole near the ground that opened up to the daylight. And there were windows throughout the area, giving him a full view of the Outside- nothing but dark, disheveled shapes of monsters clumped together randomly.

And off to his right, he spotted a small cat huddled in the corner, her crooked paw painfully obvious. She glanced at him shyly before ducking her gaze back down to her paws.

_"Where am I...? In the junkyard... in a monster...?"_

And then slowly, his memory caught up with him. He remembered his talk with Chess.

Instantly, his eyes widened and his heart leaped as he pounced at the window, pressing his nose against the warm glass as he scanned the skies.

_No! No! No! No! No! How long was I asleep? I didn't sleep past sunhigh did I? _

He released his held breath, lowering a paw wearily as he identified the sun, still in low in the sky.

_Not yet sunhigh... good..._

Suddenly, he remembered that Twist was there watching him, probably amused at his seemingly kit-like behavior He turned around to face the other cat, feeling a bit embarrassed by his actions. She simply stared at him while he stayed fixed in his position, almost as if any sudden movement would shatter the fragile moment of peace between them. Finally, Tigger lowered himself back on all fours, staring at his footpaws in an attempt to express some sort of indifference.

He didn't dare look her in the eye, just in case she was still staring at him. And who wouldn't? _He_ was the stranger here in her home, and _he_ was the one jumping out of his sleep like some startled kit. He swallowed audibly as he gave her a furtive glance, trying to coil his tail around his paws to seem more calm than he really felt.

_"She must think I'm such a furbrain!"_ he winced inwardly before he addressed her in the most confident voice he had.

"I'm sorry if I scared you..." he felt his voice trail off as she showed no intentions of replying. She just sat there timidly, looking away from him almost as if she wanted to call off the conversation all together. Feeling the hot embarrassment searing just under his pelt, the tabby was obliged to remain silent and look the opposite direction, still feeling the uneasiness crackle in the air between them.

_"Why is she so quiet? Can't she just say something so I don't feel so... like such a..."_ he struggled to summon the best word to describe the situation, _"Like some... stupid kittypet..."_ He strained his ears, hoping that he would hear the soft padding sounds of paws making their way to the exit or something. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to escape from the awkward predicament.

He glanced at the smudged glass windows again, tired of seeing all the jumbles of dead monsters blocking a potentially scenic view. And except for the constant _scritch-scratch_ of Tigger's fidgeting claws gripping the cushions, everything was silent. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Tigger asked the most sensible question that came to mind.

"So where's Ajax?" he mewed, keeping his eyes facing down at his paws.

"He went out to look for scraps," she answered in a quiet voice, high pitched and a little scratchy from misuse. A couple more moments of silence ensued once more before Tigger spoke up.

"So... how- uh... how did you meet Ajax?" he asked, shuffling his footpaws over the cushiony innards of the monster.

"I was just a stray kit wandering around... and he... he found me and brought me here...," she replied in a whisper.

"Oh... that's nice," the kittypet meowed, cringing inwardly at how unsympathetic and uninterested he sounded, "I... uh... have to go now..." With that, he rushed out of the exit, hearing the crippled cat call after him.

"But where are you going?"

"I just have to do something," he replied, eager to get as far away from this place as he could.

"But Ajax says-"

"I'll be fine!" he insisted, running off towards the fence of the junkyard, "Tell Ajax that I'll be back!" He heard her muffled voice as his paws pounded and kicked up dusty clouds on the ground. She might have told him to stay, or maybe that she wished him saftey, but he didn't bother to turn back to ask. He had no time for that.

He could feel the wind brushing against his face as he raced and zig-zagged through the maze of monsters, alone and free to make his own decisions.

_Is this what it feels like to be a warrior? Able to do whatever you please because you're strong enough? Able to make your own decisions and do what you want with your life?_

He didn't even bother to slow down as he neared the gates, the dog Bruiser leaping up to chase him, only to realize that the cat was already well out of his reach. Tigger couldn't help but suppress a triumphant yowl- his spirit lifting even higher at his latest feat. And then his heart swelled with pride at the prospect of Ajax's reaction when he brings Chess back. An accomplishment like that would only be capable of the bravest and most daring of cats- not just some kittypet.

_"I'm coming Chess! I'm coming!"_

* * *

The Outside was crowded by the usual twolegs and their monsters, bustling to-and-fro in their own little errands. Chess sighed as he looked at the sheer size of it all. He couldn't imagine how far he could go from his home. If he were to go too far, would he even be able to find his way back at all? Would he get so lost that he would lose everything ever familiar to him? His twoleg? His food? The place he'd lived in practically his entire life? His twoleg would be distraught if he abandoned her.

Wistfully, he remembered when he first met her. It was a very faint memory in his mind, but he remembered how big the twoleg nest was when he and Tigger first arrived. And he remembered how they would cuddle next to her while she watched that glowing black box, and how Tigger would tussle with her paws playfully, leaving behind tiny, loving etches on her skin. And then he recalled how she grieved for Tigger in her own strange way.

She got some strange, rare illness where salty water would fall from her eyes. Then she started eating a lot of food, and spending a lot of time talking to that tiny black thing as she flipped through pages of a huge, thick yellow book. And sometimes, she would disappear for a long time only to come back still upset and very tired from whatever it was she was doing. Chess had the idea that she was out there with her loyal monster, searching for his lost brother.

He heard a door open and he heard the stomping sounds of his twoleg's paws. He watched her as she bent down to fumble around with those strange, fake paws that they always wore. He instantly felt his heart drop at the thought of leaving her all alone- the same way he felt so isolated when Tigger was gone.

_What would she do all by herself? Would she get another cat? Would she miss me? Should I stay... But I would miss Tigger more... he needs me._

As a last goodbye, he padded to her and rubbed himself against her leg. She seemed to be content right there, stroking him as she noticed his sudden change in mood. She said a few words in her strange twoleg language as she straightened her back and reached for the door.

_This is it. Good-bye twoleg... I'm sorry..._

She turned the knob and the door opened up a crack. Instantly, there was a sudden flash of gray, and the door shuddered as a figure squeezed past it. The twoleg gasped a cry of surprise as she rushed out the door, yowling in a desparate, pleading tone. Chess halted by the steps, a sad, reluctant look in his pale blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," he mewed hurriedly, hoping she'd understand his words and feelings, "I love you and I'll always remember what you've done for us. But Tigger needs me. I hope you understand that."

And he left, hearing the twoleg's pounding steps falling behind him.

_"Tigger! I'm coming!"_

* * *

_Drip... drip... drip..._

To Tigger, the sounds of the chiming droplets and the sloshing of puddles against his paws never sounded louder. It was strange, coming here again. He couldn't help but recall the beginnings of his adventure- how long ago it felt. And then he felt a swift swell of pride in himself at how much he'd withstood. It seemed as if he was never really ever a kittypet at all... like he was something more than just that... that he was meant for greater things.

He squinted his eyes, shielding them from a dim speck of light in ahead.

He felt a rush of excitement as his pawsteps quickened, anticipating the escape. He imagined Chess all alone in the Outside- exposed and vulnerable at all sides. And then he would show up... a brave and daring warrior that would guide his brother back to safety. Of course, it would take some time for Chess to get used to the Outside lifestyle, but that would only be for a while until they moved out for the forests...

Tigger approached the exit, leaping through it only to hiss lightly as his head bumped against the giant waste box above him. He glanced around, scanning the area for any Blood Clan cats. None. Just a bunch of twolegs walking around on their own selfish agendas. Creeping out of hiding, he breathed in the fresher air, noting the familiar surroundings.

_I did it... I always knew I could..._

But there was no time for that now. He padded out of the alleyway, always keeping his ears pricked and his eyes wary of Blood Clan. They caught Ajax once, after all.

He swerved this way and that, evading the clumsy maze of clumsy twoleg legs that crowded his vision. And then he looked up to see the familiar tall twoleg nest and the patios clinging to its sides. He approached it, keeping in mind to cross the monster path only when the lights would blink red.

He was so close now, just across from his old home- a monster path separating his way. He stayed as far away from the monsters zipping around in deadly speed, waiting impatiently for the green lights to flicker red. He looked up at it again, its windows gleaming in the sunlight, making his eyes hurt when he blinked.

_One of those windows belongs to Chess... let's hope he's out of his-_

Suddenly, just as a twoleg opened the door to get in, a gray blur rushed out and Tigger immediately recognized him.

Harsh sounds buffeted the frightened kittypet's ears as he glanced left and right, looking around him with a mixture of panic and awe. He was alone in this strange place now, and everything seemed to tower above him.

"Tigger!" he yowled, "Tigger where are you?!" He ignored the passing twolegs glancing at him curiously as he paced in front of the twoleg nest, his eyes darting around frantically.

"Chess!" Tigger yowled back, hoping his brother could hear his voice above the monsters and twoleg chatter. The gray cat must have heard him, for he started yowling louder, running around in a confused stupor. Suddenly, his twoleg burst out of the doorway, rushing towards him with her arms outspread pleadingly. Tigger held his breath as he stood there, unable to help his brother while he was under threat of being taken back to the nest- for forever.

In the corner of his vision, he saw the light flash red and Tigger was off, bounding to his brother's aid. His sudden appearance startled the twoleg, sending her staggering back as she yowled out the one of the few words he understood: "Tigger!" But he ignored her as he joined his trembling brother, grabbing his scruff to bring him to his senses.

"Follow me! Now!"

That was more than enough, as Chess obeyed instantly and chased after his brother as quickly as he could, struggling to keep up. As they ran, Tigger spared no words, only looking over his shoulder occasionally to make sure that his brother was still behind and that the twoleg wasn't following them. He felt a fleeting pang of sympathy for the poor desparate twoleg but he brushed the feeling away.

_She'll get another cat._

His vision flicked all around them, making sure that there wasn't a sign of Blood Clan.

_"We're almost there!"_ he cheered himself on, _"We're almost there!"_

He then glanced back at his brother, who was following him doggedly with a frightened, despairing expression on his face. This whole while, Tigger had always thought that Chess would be happy to see him again- or at least show some enthusiasm for this sudden adventure. But no, he seemed so dazed and confused. Tigger shrugged the disappointment off and focused on moving forward.

_He'll be okay later. I was scared too at one point... and I-_

He halted in his steps, his eyes widening as he turned his head slowly- stiffly, as if he was somehow frozen. A pale gray she-cat stared back at him, mirroring the same expression of disbelief until slowly, his lips parted in a snarl.

"Chess! Run!" Tigger yowled, "Run as fast as you can!" The stranger charged at them, screeching as she did so.

"_Traaaaitor!_" she hissed as she brought her claws slashing forward. The dark tabby evaded the fierce swipe as he hissed at her, his back arched and his fur standing up on its ends.

"Chess! Run!" he ordered as he braced himself for another attack. The she-cat yowled once more as she pounced on him, grabbing his scruff between her teeth. He twisted out of her grasp, feeling her teeth leave etches in his skin as he tore away from her. Swiftly, he spun around, bringing his unsheathed claws down on her face in full force. He hit his mark, but the attack left him with vulnerable spots.

Instantly, she bowled him over, biting him on the shoulder. He hissed with alarm as he pummeled her soft belly with his back paws, wriggling to get off his back. Finally, he managed to flip around, his assailant now digging her fangs in his ear. In a panic, he surged forward, escaping the grasp of her raking claws.

He heard the sounds of pursuit behind him and he swung his head around, his mind flooding with relief and fear. Relief because Chess was still with him. Fear because the she-cat was just behind them, catching up to Chess at a rapid pace. He sped faster, feeling his tail whip around in the air behind him as the feelings of hope and despair dug their claws deep inside his heart.

_The tunnels! The tunnels are our only chance now. If we could just get to the entrance, we could make it... but how much longer until the entire clan gives chase...?_

* * *

**Uh-oh, they're in trouble. D: **

**I can honestly say that I was feeling pretty emotional when I was writing the part about Chess's attachments to his twoleg. I mean, imagine of your pet ran away? I mean, if that happened to me, I would be in a world of depression for a _long _time and I would always wonder what they were thinking about when they left?**

**REVIEW and tell me what you think about this chapter. Hate it, love it? Any comments, suggestions, ideas, name suggestions, chapter name suggestions (this chapter's title is evidence of my dire need for these), constructive criticism, questions, etc. are always welcome. Anonymous reviews are accepted here. If you just don't feel like reviewing, thanks for reading anyways. :)**


	10. Fatal Folly

**I haven't updated this story in a month! I know, I'm terrible. I'm so so so so _so_ sorry for my neglect here and I hope that if I update at a more often rate, you'll forgive me for this. Alright, a couple more Author Notes right now.**

**Special thanks to all who reviewed: Jarrtail, Kylyn, Flyingchicken (Brambletail), Martin the Warrior, and FoxStar24. You guys are great. And special thanks to Cinnamonpool and Tinselpool for being such good Beta Readers and for pushing me to keep working on this. ;)**

**And for those of you who are wondering, the she-cat ISN'T Tabs. Just wanted to clear that up for you.**

**I'll have to admit, this isn't really my best chapter and I had been struggling with it and I've been going through Writer's Block (as many of you might have noticed). I just find actiony scenes to be my weakness, so this was pretty tough to write.**

**Also, Foxstar24 has told me this before, but male calicos are sterile and extremely rare. I like to be a little realistic, so I guess it was a mistake for me to make him like that without checking up on the facts first. In my mind, I just pictured him as a cool-lookin' brownish-red cat. :P**

* * *

**Fatal Folly**

* * *

Tigger felt the energy pulse through his blood.

There was no turning back now.

There was no more precious home to be safe in.

He was part of the wild... it was in his blood...

Quickly, Tigger turned his head, checking over his shoulder again as he identified Chess running close behind him, another cat just behind his tail. With a jerk, snapped his vision back to the front, his eyes flicking nervously this way and that as he expected an onslaught of Blood Clan pouring out of the windows and waste cans.

To his relief, he spotted the old alleyway in the distance, sending hope sparking within his heart.

_Just a little bit more... a little bit more... Just need to reach the tunnels now..._

"Blood Clan! Blood Clan!" he heard the she-cat's clamoring yowl, "Tigger's here! He's here!"

He thrust the sounds of her voice out of his head, focusing on the blood roaring in his ears, his paws slapping against the cold, rough ground, anything- _anything_ at all to keep him from going numb from sheer panic. Slowly, he began to see his vision's margins seeming to blur and congeal together, a sense of darkness and dread creeping over him.

And for a moment, in all his fears, he almost ran past the alleyway. With a sudden leap sideways, he veered in a sharp turn right into the narrow alley, nearly ramming himself into a crumbled wall in the process. He heard a scrabble of paws in the background as he spotted two blurs doing the same, his brother closer than the other.

Tigger halted by the hulking figure of the waste container, his legs trembling with excitement, inching closer and closer to the exit no matter how hard he tried to stay back. It seemed as though every little bit of his instinct yowling at him to run- to abandon his brother and leave him to his fate.

"Follow me!" he heard his panicked voice call out against the screeching yowls, diving under the cold waste container, squeezing and crawling under it in a clumsy scrabbling motion. As he dipped his head into the tunnel entrance, he felt a prick of hesitation come over him.

_Where's Chess? Did he follow me? Is he captured?_

He pushed the troubling question out of his head, shoving forward desparately, practically falling into the gaping hole. He felt the pads of his paws skid against the puddles of water and gravel, the stink of the air wafting up his nose. He stumbled backwards, thrusting his chin in an upward angle, hoping that he would see his brother's form decending to safety. However, he was forced to stagger backwards once more as a tangled, writhing mass of fur came tumbling to the damp concrete.

On the way down, the cats disengaged themselves, falling haphazardly to their paws- the enemy faring better than the gray kittypet.

Seeing his enemy cornered in unfamiliar territory, Tigger seized his advantage and sprang on her, biting savagely into her shoulder and relishing the shriek of surprise in her voice. He gripped her head with his unsheathed claws, wrestling her to the ground.

"Chess! Run! Keep straight and don't look back!" he ordered, his voice strained from his efforts, "Stop at the rushing waters and wait for me there!" But despite his struggles, Chess stood in shock, trembling under his fur as he stared on with wide, panicked eyes.

"GO!" Tigger hissed. With that said, he didn't bother to check to see if his brother had obeyed the demand. What _really_ mattered now was silencing this cat.

She had discovered them, attacked him, could've- no, _would've_ killed Chess. He had to stop her right now if he was going to get Blood Clan off his paws. At the moment, he couldn't bear to think of what would happen if Blood Clan finally found the tunnels they were looking for. Where would they hide then? How long would they last?

His thoughts were cut off from his mind as he felt her stinging claws rake against his nose. He hissed as he dug his claws deeper into their unforgiving hold, his jaws strengthened and unrelinquishing. For that moment, he seemed to be holding well on his own, his victory well within his grasp; and the next thing he knew, he felt a blow against his side, throwing him backwards.

Startled, he stared ahead, panting as he discerned the shadowy silhouettes of two large cats- Blood Clan cats. At this sudden realization, Tigger felt his very own blood freeze within his veins.

_No! How could they? Why?! Why couldn't I have killed the she-cat when I had the chance?_

The cats stared him down, their powerful shoulders squared, their muscles rippling beneath their pelts, and their eyes gleaming with malice. Weakly, the battered she-cat joined them, her strength and confidence renewed by the sudden reinforcements. Tigger swallowed nervously as he hissed, knowing that whatever threats he was posing was making no difference.

_These cats are here to kill me. I can't fight them all! I've got to get out... got to get _out_!_

With the intense, cold claws of fear sinking into his heart, Tigger bolted down the pathway and further down into the pressing darkness. He could feel his pulse rushing at a rapid pace, his breathing coarse and ragged- deep, desparate, and dry breaths that never seemed to be enough. The tunnel seemed to close down on him, threatening to squeeze the air out of his lungs as he ripped through the tunnels.

He couldn't tell if the Blood Clan cats were following him or not. Everything seemed so unreal... the tunnel seemed to go on forever, the shadow in the distance never coming closer... the quickened pawsteps behind sounding more like faded echoes whispering in the dark...

All he could tell was that they were somewhere behind him, already aware of the secret he once held.

_Stupid! Stupid! StupidstupidstupidstupidSTUPID! How could I be this careless?! What was I _thinking_, believing that I could do his all on my own. How could this happen?! _

With those final torturing thoughts to himself, he tore through the tunnels, grateful that it was only a straight path. But then again, with a sickening pang to his mind, he realized that something so simple could only allow him to be tracked.

_"Where_ is_ Chess?"_ his mind raced in a panicked speed, _"Did he leave me? Did he wait for me? Or what if he got lost or got swept away by the rushing water?"_ He ducked his head, barely missing a protruding pipe that jutted out at a damaging angle. He knew it then that the stinking, rushing river was near.

He strained his eyes forward, hoping to see another shape of a cat in the distance. At first he saw nothing, his heart dropping and almost stopping completely. He skidded to a halt at the free, high-ceiling chamber, panting for breath as his eyes flicked around his surroundings. The area was spacious compared to the cramped tunnels, but seemed almost _empty_- void of light and comfort.

The darkness seemed to corner him as he turned his head this way and that, the hard gray walls guarding the sides of the furious river which spouted foul-smelling water and glomps of waste and twoleg garbage. The echoes of the current roared ferociously, seeming to be putting all its effort into drowning out the sounds around him. It seemed so much like an insatiable torrent to him- its origins from a dark, forboding region and its end in some unknown abyss.

_He... _no_... he didn't try to swim across it... did he...?_

"Tigger!"

The dark tabby spun around at the familiar voice. Immediately, he felt an immense sense of relief wash over him as he recognized his brother- a vague shape in his grim surroundings. Instantly, Chess in front of him, panting with a wide-eyed look of horror and confusion on his face.

"Tigger! Who are they?! What's going on?!" he squeaked, "They _hurt_ us! Why would they do that? W-"

"Come on!" he said in a hushed but urgent whisper, as if the Blood Clan warriors were somewhere lurking about, watching their every move, "We have to keep going!"

Chess opened his mouth as if he had more to say, but nodded obediently, exhaling a quivering breath. Suddenly, looking past his shoulder, the gray kittypet was thrust back to his chilling sense of danger.

"T-T-Tig-g-ger!" he stammered, trying to shape his mewling sounds of fear into coherent words. At first, Tigger couldn't discern what was going on, but he quickly assumed the worst. He whirled around, greeted by the sight of his pursuers.

"Go! NOW!" he hissed. Without waiting for Chess to follow suit, Tigger sped past him and stopped by two tunnels, glancing at both of them in a hurried manner.

_No, wait... which one... this one...? That one...? Am I choosing the right one here? I have to go NOW!_

Finally, he with a desparate jolt, he squeezed himself through the tunnel, padding as fast as he could past the zig-zagging pathways. He swallowed nervously as he found himself winding around the tangled maze, turning this way and that through the passageways. He glanced behind him to see his brother panting behind him, and although he was dying to know what became of their pursuers, he didn't dare speak in case he was giving away their position.

Instead, he tried to preoccupy himself by focusing on the route that he had commited to memory, staring ahead for any signs of the glorious light of the surface world. However, his thoughts were crowded by voices of dread and panic.

_Where are they now? What if they catch us? What then? What'll we do...?_

And then, the world seemed to swim as he hurried along... the sounds fading to nothingness as he raced through the cramped spaces. And it seemed, just for that moment, he was all alone in the world. Nothing entered his mind about the cats or his brother, and all that lingered of his situation was the fear-scent that filled his nose. He continued padding down the tight tunnels, for some reason unknown to him.

It felt almost as if he were floating around in a dream- his mind free of worries, a sense of calm filling him.

And then, as suddenly as the darkness clouded over him, a glorious shine entered his view. He squinted his eyes at the painful scene, but could not rip his gaze away. What he saw astounded him. It was a huge rock resting in the center of a spacious cave chamber, a weak shaft of moonlight trickling down to it to create its bright glow. It was the single most beautiful thing Tigger saw- and it was simply a fleeting image.

In his wonderment, he must've slowed down or stopped, because he felt his brother bump into him.

He blinked.

And it was gone.

"Tigger?" Chess meowed, "Tigger, why'd you stop?" His brother didn't answer him at first, but stared forward, shaking his head and blinking his eyes in disbelief.

"Chess," his voice tight with excitement, as if the gravity of the situation had simply melted away, "Chess, did you see that?"

"See what?"

"See the shining rock! Did you?" Chess always knew that his brother was quite imaginative and hyper, but he didn't think he would be having his fantasies at a time like this!

"Tigger," he pleaded, butting his head against his brother's side, "Keep moving!" At first, the dark tabby still remained bewildered, looking around for that illuminating glow, but then he shook his head, blinked once more, and his eyes focused once more.

"R-right," he stammered, casting another quick glance around.

_"What was... _that_?!"_ he thought to himself as he found himself thrust back in his dark world of peril, _"Did... was I dreaming...? Chess didn't see it... but it was so strange... so _real_."_

He shook the memory out of his head. He couldn't focus on this right now. The only thing that mattered was getting out of this mess _alive_.

_"Where's the exit? Where is it? I _need _to get out of here!"_

And then suddenly, there it was.

Tigger had never felt so grateful just to see light- something so simple- something that every cat saw every day. He felt his speed give a sudden spurt as he barreled forward, leaping up to be greeted by the fresh air of freedom. He didn't even have time to rejoice at his triumph, as he struggled against the onslaught of waste that hid the exit. It was almost suffocating at first, but he quickly managed to make it out of the pile and into the alley.

Finally free, he spun around, relieved to see his brother still with him, looking more like a helpless kit than anything. And then there was no other cat. Perhaps they were still in the tunnels? But then again, he could never be sure- and he could never take all three of them in fight.

"Come on," he urged, speeding out of the alley, "Just a little bit more!"

"Tigger!" Chess whined as he followed, "I want to go home!" However, his complaints fell upon deaf ears as Tigger surged forwards, eager to get back to the junkyard before any other cat found them. Already, his mind was crowded with worry as it was.

_They found the tunnels... They found the tunnels... How will we survive now...?_

He veered off to the direction of the junkyard, his eyes darting back and forth as he anticipated another ambush. The journey back was almost like a blur to him, all rushes of colors and tangles of scents. But of all things, he remembered his ragged breathing, that burning sensation in his lungs that wanted to be sick, the sting of his wounds, and the sound of Chess's pawsteps slapping the ground behind him.

And finally, the junkyard was in sight- the miserable forms of broken monsters never looking so welcoming.

He breathed a sigh of relief as they padded up to the gates, a faltering smile on his face.

"This is it Chess... safe..." he meowed, suddenly surprised at how soft and tired his voice had become.

"But... but we were safe... at... home..." Chess panted, a hacking cough following suit.

"Where _were_ YOU?!" a voice hissed, startling the both of them.

Ajax darted out of hiding, his expression anything but warm. The stray glared at Tigger, approaching him with confident, threatening strides as his amber eyes narrowed.

"What HAPPENED?!" he spat, making the dark tabby flinch.

"I... I..." he replied, feeling shame creep up in his mind.

"Did they see you?" Ajax demanded, a growl in his voice, "_Did they_?!"

Tigger swallowed audibly, glancing at Chess for reassurance, only to be disheartened by the look of the pitiful creature his brother had become. He wrapped his tail about his paws, looking down as he heard the words roll out of his mouth.

"They found it... They found the tunnels..."

There was silence then- an unescapable, terrifying silence that seemed to drown everything else out. Slowly, Tigger looked up to meet Ajax's eyes. But that smouldering look of wrath was doused now, only left with an blank, disbelieving look of hopelessness.

Up until now, Tigger had never had a reason to hate himself.

* * *

**Summary: _Tigger and Chess dash off into the tunnels. Tigger sends Chess off at first so he could deal with the she-cat before she gets all the other cats down to the secret tunnels. He comes pretty close to killing her when more Blood clan cats arrive. Losing heart, Tigger runs away, catching up to Chess near the underground sewer river. Weaving their way through the maze of tunnels and passageways, Tigger sees a vision of Moonstone and is confused about it, but the image suddenly vanishes (another little clue about his identity as Tigerstar). They then manage to escape out of the tunnels and rush to the junkyard before their pursuers catch up with them. Ajax is waiting for them there and is furious at Tigger for wandering off on his own agendas. Tigger tells him the grim news that Blood Clan now knows about the tunnels._**

**For those of you who don't know, Moonstone was a sacred place found in an abandoned quarry in the books. According to the series, it's where medicine cats and leaders go to when they're troubled. There, Star Clan (their warrior ancestors in spirit form) come to advise them in dreams. Tigerstar was afraid of Moonstone, since he knew that Star Clan was watching and knew his treasonous crimes.**

**Alright, so what did you think? Love it? Hate it? (wouldn't blame ya!)**

**So, please REVIEW and tell me what you think. I'd like to know your honest opinion on this story so far. So, any constructive criticism, commets, questions, suggestions, ideas, name ideas, etc. are always welcome. **

**OK, now that I've pulled myself out of this hole-of-a-Writer's-Block, I'll be updating more regularly from now on. Thanks for reading! :)**


	11. Comfort and Solace

**MERRY XMAS, and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**So this is my CHRISTMAS gift to you. :D**

**Alright! Chapter 11 is up now, and I feel pretty proud of it. **

**Special thanks to all people who reviewed since the last chapter was updated: Jarrtail, Tinselpool, Tenacross, Kylyn, Foeseeker, Swifttail6291997, pocket97, Foxstar24, and flyingchicken.**

**And special thanks to Cinnamonpool and Tinselpool for editing this chapter. :D**

**For those of you who've never read the Warriors series or just started on it, there are some spoilers here. If you don't mind, just read ahead and there'll be a little explanation at the end to clear things up.**

* * *

**Comfort and Solace**

* * *

Out on the open grounds of the junkyard, the cats were crowded on the top of an old monster. Of the five, there were only two that seemed to be the center of it all, speaking in animated movements.

It seemed strange to Tigger how quickly his friends became his enemies. For a short time, he actually had allies, and he would have given his tail to get back to that position. But now, there was no ally here to save him from the onslaught being brought on to him.

"Do you know what you just _did_?!" Ajax hissed, his hackles raised as he paced back and forth, "Now they know the secret! Now they _know_! We have no place to run, no place to hide! Nowhere is safe for us. How are we going to survive now? How could you be so _mousebrained_?"

"They would've found the tunnels sooner or later!" Tigger snarled.

"How would you know, _kittypet_?!"

Tigger looked down, glaring at the cold earth beneath his paws. _Show no fear. Show no guilt. Don't let him get the satisfaction of winning._

"It doesn't matter, coward!" he spat, stepping forward defiantly, "You can't keep hiding in your little tunnels behind dogs and monsters forever! I'm not like _you_. I can't keep running away from my troubles!"

"Coward?!" Ajax's eyes narrowed, "If that's what I am, then at least I've survived free up until now. And what about you? I bet _kittypets_ have nothing to fear or run away from. And you? You couldn't have lived without me!"

"And I wouldn't have been in this mess if I never saw you!"

"It was your decision to follow me, _kittypet_, not mine." _Kittypet_. That word was spat out of Ajax's mouth, as if it was a filthy word; something befitting for only the most disgusting, disgraceful creature. Tigger felt his rage flare up with each and every time it was mentioned, true or not.

"Stop calling me that!"

"It's not an insult if it's true, _kittypet._"

Tigger crouched low to the ground, though it clearly wasn't a gesture of submission. He flexed his claws, letting them slip in and out in his paws as his tail went back and forth in powerful sweeping motions.

"Do you want to fight, _stray_?" he growled, his teeth glinting despite the lack of light. For a second, a look of hesitation crossed his adversary's features, but to his credit, his attempt to hide it was valiant.

He stepped forward lightly, his red tail running horizontally along the ground, his skinny shoulder blades protruding, sliding up and down with each step.

"Stop!" a new voice entered the fray, "Fighting doesn't prove either of you right!"

"Shut up, you!" Ajax hissed, rounding Chess.

"Leave him out of this!" Tigger slid between them, baring his fangs. Ajax took a step back, claws at the ready before he saw the wisdom of Chess's words. Slowly, he let his fur fall flat along his spine as he stepped back, his fangs hidden behind his lips once more.

"I'd save my energy for later if I were you." At that, he stormed off, not bothering to look back at the eyes that stared after him.

"Huh! That'll show him," Tigger spat, sitting up to lick his chest nonchalantly.

"Tigger," Chess's voice wavered, "Why did you do that?" Tigger turned back to his brother, but he probably did it so suddenly that his brother flinched back.

"Because you're my brother," the dark tabby purred, "I'm supposed to protect you."

"No," the grey kittypet averted his gaze to the floor, "I mean, why did you do this to me?"

Tigger gaped at his brother. _What does he mean by that?_

"Why did you take me here? You almost had us killed!"

"B-but..." for once, Tigger was at a loss for words, "But..."

"You _lied _Tigger!" One by one, Chess's words cut through his heart, conviction sprouting from his words as his voice escalated, "You promised me that I'd like it here! But look at where we're staying! This place! Where's the food? Where's the shelter? Where are the friends? Tigger... you... you... you _LIAR!_" At that, the kittypet turned away, panting from his exertion.

Tigger just stared at his brother, or at least, what used to be his brother. Now he was just like Ajax. He was turning his back on him, even after he _saved _his life.

"Fine!" he raged, "Be that way then! I didn't have to come back for you anyways! I should've let you rot all by yourself! You would be nothing without me- nothing but a miserable ball of fur! It was you that let Blood Clan catch up to us! You and that _fat, _kittypet body of yours!"

He knew Chess wasn't going to retaliate with more insults. He was always so cheerful and slow to anger, unlike himself. They had never actually fought over anything but food before- and those were just small skirmishes and playfights. It surprised Tigger, the overwhelming hate he felt for him. _Why did I even come back for him? What did I ever like about him? He's so whiny and cowardly!_

"I trusted you, Tigger..." His soft, heart-broken response hurt Tigger most of all. It was like some stone was lodged in his stomach, making it sink to the ground. Slowly, Chess padded off to where Ajax was headed.

"I didn't think you'd do this... to me..."

Tigger felt his ears lower as he stared after Chess. Another shape was following after his brother, and for the first time, he realized it was Twist that was hobbling after him. He had to admit, he didn't notice her watching during his confrontation with Ajax.

She was too quiet, never saying anything. In fact, he found her quite unsettling, the way her ice blue eyes would look at him was eerie. But even so, even if she wasn't going to say anything, he wouldn't mind having her near him instead of avoiding him- just like everyone else.

Just like Chess and Ajax... especially Chess.

He felt so hurt, abandoned, so _lonely_.

_It was just one little mistake... just _one. _It wasn't my fault. It was Blood Clan's fault for being evil, it was Ajax's fault for meeting me in the first place, it was Chess's fault for being so slow... it was... I'm not the one to blame... _entirely._ I didn't mean for it to turn this way. I just wanted..._

But what did he want?

_"To have your brother?" _a voice taunted inside him, _"If you really wanted your brother, you would've joined him in the twoleg place. Adventure? Well, you could have stayed with Ajax. Both? Surely you could've visited Chess from the Outside. Or maybe you wanted to be the one in charge? To be _leader."

Tigger grimaced as he stalked off on his lonesome. All he wanted now was a place to wait out the storm.

* * *

The rain pummeled down against the clear barrier outside the broken monster, though some droplets trickled in from a crack on the top. Tigger didn't mind though, he didn't care so long as he could rest somewhere dry- somewhere away from the rest of them.

_It's just not fair. I had good intentions._

He wriggled on the ripped cushion, bunching his body into a tighter curl. He closed his eyes again, letting himself delve into the sweet darkness. However, it seemed as if sleep was unwilling to come to him. No matter how long he lay there, no matter which position he took, he felt restless deep down inside.

And for that, he despaired. He was all alone, and sleep was his only pathway to solace now, but the stinging claw in his heart wouldn't go away.

_But I want to talk to Hawkfrost. Or maybe Darkstripe. They would understand what I'm feeling, what I'm going through. I'm sure every warrior had to do something risky once in a while. It's just that... my actions somewhat... failed. I want to talk to them... they would understand that I was... just being brave. _

But as he stared ahead, his chin resting on his paws, his tail draped over his nose, sleep wouldn't release him. He was trapped with his own thoughts, isolated and alone with nothing but that tormenting voice whispering in his head.

_"I bet that Hawkfrost or Darkstripe could've escaped."_

_"You and I both know that Chess was never cut out for living out here. Maybe you, but never him."_

_"Chess and Ajax both hate you now. It doesn't matter that you love Chess. You've only practically doomed them both now."_

_"Maybe it's not that you_ can't_see Hawkfrost. Maybe it's that they don't _want_ to see you. You disgrace the warrior code. What kind of clan cat would want to mentor you now? And _if_Hawkfrost is your father, all the more shame for-"_

"Stop it," he croaked to no one in particular, but it did finally quiet the voice. And slowly, the kittypet let merciful sleep wash over him, and let it carry the pain away.

* * *

_It was dark again, but Tigger was used to it. It seemed that every time he came to The Place of No Stars, it was shrouded in dark, only to materialize right in front of him. He watched with less enthusiasm this time, as the shady trees extended their prickly fingers from their trunks until they touched each other. Stones appeared next, glowing dully at the pale moonlight._

_"Hawkfrost?" he called to the darkness. Not a thing stirred._

_"Are you there?" Still nothing. Tigger turned around, hoping to see the familiar piercing eyes of blue._

_"I know you must be mad at me... everyone is..." Only his echo replied him, "everyone is... everyone is..." it said to him in a scared, mocking imitation of his own voice. _

_"Darkstripe?" he meowed, a half-hearted cry, but still, the world stood still and silent. The dark tabby never felt so small, even on his first day alone in the twoleg place. He let his ears droop down as his tail dragged on the leaf-littered ground._

_"Somebody," he whispered as he stared at the ground between his paws, "Somebody please come for me. I'm all alone..." He felt his heart ache in his chest, a sensation that made his throat go dry. It felt as if he were swallowing down a rock- a stubborn one._

_"I'm sorry," he confessed at last to the darkness, "It's my fault, isn't it? It's all my fault. I just wanted... I was being... selfish. I want- I want to make things right again. I'd do it... I would."_

_Suddenly, a pale trickle of light brightened up above. His eyes widening, Tigger turned his head, half-expecting to see Hawkfrost, half-expecting to wake up. But it was neither. Instead, the bleak, blank sky seemed to crack open, and a single shining star was visible. _

_Tigger had seen the star-speckled sky before and it had always captured his interests. All those stars out at once, decorating the night sky and shining brightly in salutations to the full moon? Now _that_was something to behold. But the stars in the twoleg place seemed so pale compared to this vigilant star. It was no speck in the sky. In fact, it was like a miniature sun, a beacon of hope, here to greet him._

_At that moment, Tigger could swear that nothing had ever looked so beautiful as this sight. Yes, it was alone, but that didn't take any majesty from it. It shared the skies with nothing, and the stark, endless night sky only made it glow all the brighter. _

_It was as if it was shining just for him. _

_And then, the little kittypet felt his heart go light again and fill with a sense of purpose and courage._

* * *

Tigger cracked an eyelid open, yawning as he stretched. His tongue was dry and his fur was slightly damp from the rain, but at least he didn't feel sick on the inside. He then sat up, shaking the wet from his fur before he squeezed out of the monster's exit.

He didn't know how to explain it, but he felt a lightness in his paws with every step. He didn't feel so alone now. Instead, he felt... _brave_. He passed by all the wide-eyed monsters that stared at him rudely, but he didn't show shame. Instead, he kept his head high and his tail raised, a noble posture for one of a noble purpose.

But the short walk from his small little shelter to Ajax's monster seemed longer than usual, as if someone was trying to give him more time to change his mind. Every step was a chance to turn around.

_But no._

He felt scared, yes, but he knew what he had to do to make things right again.

_"But will things ever be completely right again?"_ the voice whispered, sounding gentler for a change.

_Probably never. It won't be all right again, I don't think. Everyone will still remember what I did, but I have to do my best for them. That's _my_ warrior code._

He found himself halting in front of Ajax's monster, the thing never looking more intimidating, even in death. Tigger sucked in a breath as he crawled through the entrance. It was dryer than his shelter, but it felt colder.

"Ajax?"

"Go away." Ajax was curled up on the cushion at the monster's front, ears tucked downwards as if that could drown out the rest of the world.

"It's me, Tigger."

"Get lost!" Tigger almost flinched from the tone, but stubborn as he was, he held his ground.

"Where's Chess? And Twist?"

"I told them to get lost too." Tigger felt his throat tighten.

"Why?"

"I was better off myself. I didn't have to keep watching out for every cat that came my way. I should just mind my own business. I'm thinking, so just _get out_."

"Thinking... about escape?"

"What else, fish-head?"

"I... I just wanted to tell you that I was... uh... I really didn't mean to... insult you that way..." he could feel the uneasiness prickle in the atmosphere. _Rat dung! It really shouldn't be this difficult!_ He continued again, trying to retain eye contact with Ajax, who really wasn't looking at him in the first place.

"And... I really didn't mean to let Blood Clan follow. I was just thinking about my brother, and I couldn't leave him behind to Blood Clan's mercies. He's just so soft and slow and..." _No, no, no! No more blaming!_

"I really didn't mean everything... I just wasn't... _thinking... _So now... now I'm..." The words were now stuck on the tip of his tongue. He faltered a bit before he mustered enough strength to shove them out of his mouth.

"I'm sorry."

"Your apologies don't make anything much better," Ajax snorted.

"Well, I've been thinking-"

"That's a change!" the stray interrupted with a stinging hiss. Tigger felt a growl rise in his throat. _I just apologized, you!_ But he quieted it immediately. He promised himself that this meeting would be a peaceful one.

"I'll do it. I'll distract Blood Clan while you and the others get out of here. I'll be your... _bait_."

* * *

And high up in the deep dawn sky, there was one last star suspended in the air, watching after the world dutifully.

It is said that Star Clan watches over all the forest cats from their celestial forest in the sky. However, this is certainly not the case. They do, on some occasions, tend to watch after others as well.

A golden tabby sat by the pool of water, his tail twitching in amusement as he looked down on the dark tabby. He was so young and small, yet full of life and promise. Just the way Tigerstar had been once before... no, he didn't want to think about it anymore.

"What are you looking at?"

He turned around, greeted by a set of familiar calm blue eyes.

"Bluestar," he nodded respectfully at the blue-gray she-cat.

"Lionheart," he replied back as she sat beside him. But then her placcid expression melted away into contempt as she looked at the figure in the pool- a small dark tabby reasoning with a young red-furred tom. She got back on her paws, her lips pulled back in a half-snarl.

"What treachery is this Lionheart?" she rumbled dangerously, but the golden tabby showed no signs of fear. He'd known Bluestar since his kithood, and his old leader would never attack one of her own. Never.

"This isn't treachery," he said as he flicked his ear at the pool. The red-furred tom was now speaking back to the dark tabby, the contempt on his face being replaced by surprise and concern.

"It is to me!" she hissed, "Don't you remember what Tigerstar did to the clans? To Thunder Clan? To _me_?" Her eyes blazed now, both with hurt and hatred.

"Tigerstar wasn't always as ambitious as he became. He was innocent once," the tabby reasoned.

"And now you're _helping _him?" her eyes narrowed, "Why Lionheart? Why were you watching over him in the Place of No Stars? That's where he belonged in the first place, and that's where he should stay."

Lionheart shook his head calmly, trying to dispell the doubt in his leader's heart, though he knew his efforts were in vain. The wounds his once-best friend had left on Bluestar ran deep, and would probably never heal.

"I needed to show him some light," he explained, "He needs guidance. He can't stay under the influence of Hawkfrost so that his teachings could taint his heart. I don't want his mistakes to repeat themselves." Bluestar simply wrinkled her nose and stalked off, her tail waving back and forth in an agitated manner.

"Do as you like," she spat, "But don't expect anything to come out of your efforts. Once a traitor, _always_ a traitor."

* * *

**Well, I thought this chapter was pretty straight forward except for the very last segment. I'll explain it to you:**

**Star Clan is like a kitty heaven where clan cats go when they die. It doesn't matter what clan they were in when they were alive, they all end up in Star Clan. The Place of No Stars is where bad kitties go, in other words, hell (except not as bad as people hell, mind you).**

**Lionheart was once a friend of Tigerstar's, back before his treachery was revealed. They seemed pretty close before, and Tigerstar seemed to mourn a bit when he died (died during a Shadow Clan raid). However, part of me feels like he planned the assassination to take Lionheart's place as Thunder Clan deputy. Oh well, that's only speculation.**

**Bluestar was the leader of Thunder Clan before Firestar, back in the first 6 books of the series. She always trusted Tigerstar (AKA Tigerclaw) and ignored Fireheart's (protagonist) accusations of him. But then, when Tigerclaw's treacherous plans were thwarted and he was unmasked for the true villain he really was, she kind of suffered a mental breakdown, spiralling into a mix of depression and paranoia. ****She later died saving Fireheart from a dog attack that Tigerstar unleashed on Thunder Clan. She always struck me as the kind that would _try_ to be fair, but sometimes become irrational. But yeah, I'd be bitter too if I were her.**

**Basically, Lionheart's looking after his old ex-best friend. I guess he was hurt about the betrayal, but for old time's sake, he's willing to give him one last chance, even if his old leader discourages it.**

**

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So what did you think about the chapter? Good, bad, touching? Well, you can tell me all about it in your REVIEW, so c'mon and just click that butten below and give me any comments, constructive criticism, questions, name suggestions, etc.

~Jade TeaLeaf


	12. Value of a Risk

**First of all, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: Cinnamonpool, Tinselpool, Jarrtail, Swiftail6291997, flyingchicken, and Kylyn. Thanks a bunch guys. :) And also, thanks to Cinnamonpool and Tinselpool for always critiquing my chapters as well. :D**

**Sorry for the delay in this chapter. I suck at consistency. :P**

* * *

**Value of a Risk**

* * *

Ajax could only gape at the kittypet. Just the other day he held his head high as he confronted him, but now, Tigger was humbling himself to _him_- a stray. And if that wasn't surprising enough, he was offering to sacrifice his life. _Bait_, he called it. Ajax got back to his paws, looking over the dark tabby quizzically.

"Wait, you want to be bait for Blood Clan? _Why_?"

Tigger averted his gaze, looking down to the side as if he could find some reassurance there. If he found any, he didn't show it. Instead, he kept his face hard and serious.

"I just want to make sure that Chess gets back home safe. It's the only way."

_Not going to admit you've ruined my life too, huh?_

"What do you mean by that?" the red stray asked, his amber eyes narrowing. He watched with a hint of satisfaction as Tigger squared his shoulders- a gesture that indicated awkwardness.

"I mean..." he swallowed audibly, "I mean that I would distract Blood Clan and lead them away if you could get Chess home."

"Why should I?" The question was more blunt than he intended, but it did get his point across. Tigger lowered his ears uncomfortably and said nothing. It seemed to Ajax as if he would just shrink back to being nothing more than a blind newborn. After all, he had looked like a proper Blood Clan cat just yesterday, and now he'd brought himself down to being a helpless kittypet.

_Well, not so helpless, I'll admit. He could make it on his own. It's just that he needs _my_ help now._

It was a while before Tigger mustered the courage to speak again.

"But what about Twist? It would be hard to get out of the twoleg nest with her... leg all damaged and everything..."

"Out? What do you mean out? _I'm_ not going anywhere," Ajax said stubbornly, his hackles raising at the very mention of leaving. _Out?! He's more mousebrained than I thought! This is my home. I'm not going anywhere else to live. Where else is there to go?_

"But you have to," Tigger insisted, "You can't go in the tunnels anymore."

"They don't know their way around the tunnels like I do."

"But that just takes time," the kittypet reasoned, "They'll catch you eventually, so it's best to leave now while we still have a chance of out-running them."

"But I..." Ajax faltered, knowing full well that Tigger was right about the entire mess, "But... where would I go then?"

The dark tabby shifted his eyes again, his tail twitching with a fluttering rhythm.

"There's always... the forest," he offered, his voice unsure.

"The _forest_," Ajax wrinkled his nose with distaste, "That's just a myth- a legend. There are no cats living out in the forest. What kind of cat could survive in a place full of green, where the only food available run away from you?"

"But it's real!" the kittypet insisted, "I know it is."

"Well, real or no, there's no way we can get to the forest."

"But it's out there somewhere," Tigger murmered, looking behind him and out to the rising sun, as if he could just see it- as if it was just within his reach. "We can make it. I know we can."

"If you're crazy enough to make such a journey, I suppose you'll find someplace sooner or later. But forget about me going there," Ajax snorted.

"It would be hard to go alone. You'd have to go with other cats and work together, like a clan."

"You can't be serious. I-"

"But the clan cats did it!" Tigger urged, "When their forest was ripped apart by twolegs, they banned together and traveled to their new home, and I bet they're somewhere out there."

"How would you know?" the stray asked with a flick of an ear.

"Even kittypets have their share of knowledge," Tigger replied cooly, "And from what I've heard, they hunt for their food and work together to keep each other safe. Trust me, there's more to the world than just the twoleg nests. There's a whole different land out there, a place where cats live on their own where twolegs don't control everything- some place natural. Think about where the first cats started. Cats are living like that right now."

_The first cats?_ Ajax looked at Tigger uncertainly. _Just who is this kittypet anyways? There's something odd about him... He has strange dreams and ideas- ideas that no kittypet should even consider. Living like the first cats? _He narrowed his eyes as his mind conjured an image of a massive, savage-looking cat with razor-sharp claws, eyes of the sharpest amber, its fur patchy and rough, and finally, the cruel sharp fangs stained red with blood. _Not a pleasing picture of the future me._

"You can go to the forest if you like," the red stray curled his tail around his paws, "But if the world is as big as you say, then I'm headed off to another twoleg nest. At least, _if_ there is one."

"Then that's fine," Tigger said flatly, clearly giving up on the hopes of spreading his enthusiasm. "But my main point is that you probably won't get away from here unscratched. You're going to need me to help you out, and if I do that, you need to take my brother home."

"I don't really need you. I've handled myself just fine on my own," Ajax answered with an arrogant edge. "If I've lived this long in this place, I'm bound to survive."

"But what about Twist?" Tigger's voice rang with disbelief, "You're just going to leave her?"

"Well we can't _both_ die. It's better if one of us dies rather than both of us," he reasoned, "And besides, if I die, she'd be dead anyways."

"How could you say something like that?!"

"By rights, she should be dead anyways right now. She's only alive because I'm nice enough to take care of her."

"But don't you feel any sympathy for her at all?" Tigger hissed, his voice rising with his hackles, "Don't you care at all about what'll happen to her or how she'd feel?"

"And what about your brother?" Ajax spat, "Did you think about him?"

"But unlike you, I'm fixing my mistakes instead of running from them."

"Why fight when you can run?" he replied. It wasn't a question, more like a statement.

"You don't even sound like you care!" Tigger hissed.

"Of course I care!" the stray hissed back, "If I didn't care about her, then why would I even keep her around? Besides kittypet, you have to realize that bad things happen in life-"

"But Ajax-"

"-and you can't do anything about it, so _why bother?_" Again, another statement instead of a question. Tigger just stared at Ajax, silenced by the gravitation of the statement.

"Sometimes..." the red stray looked him in the eye, and Tigger could hear the regret hanging heavy in his voice, "Sometimes we just have to accept the fact that what's going to happen _will_ happen, and grieving about it can't change a thing."

"But we can," Tigger whispered, "We can get through this. Just trust me. I'll make sure you can get out of the city with every cat safe. I'll die trying if I have to."

Ajax heaved a heavy sigh as he looked off to the side, as if in searching for an answer somewhere buried deep in the ratty cushions. _If only it could work, kittypet. If only you could change the past and take back all the mousebrained schemes that's ruined my life. If only I could go back to make sure I'd never met Twist, so I wouldn't have to feel responsibility over her- no memories, no worries._

"I still don't see why you care so much to die for us," he spoke.

"Chess is of my blood," Tigger answered, "I love him, and I don't want to see him die because of me. If I just run away from him, I would keep his memory with me forever, feeling the guilt weigh me down. If I die saving him, however, at least I'll have no regrets to drag with me wherever I go."

"And your brother?" the red cat stood up, stretching his paws, "Wouldn't he feel regret if you died just for him?"

"... I- I guess, but he'll understand that I did it just for him. He'd realize that it's because I wanted him to live a long and happy life."

"Huh, how noble of you," Ajax cocked his head to the side. _It must be something that comes with having kin. Luckily, I don't have any, so I wouldn't be doing anything so risky and mousebrained in my lifetime._

"So would you do it?"

"What?"

"Would you do it? If you won't do it for me, then would you do it for Twist at least? Would you do it so she would live the life she deserves? She's not meant to die alone, and there's nothing that you can say to make me believe that she was never meant to survive. If that's the case, then Chess is undeserving as well, and I can't accept that. Ever."

_I know she isn't, kittypet,_ Ajax said inwardly, _She's better than all of that stinking Blood Clan combined._

"But she'll probably never survive the journey-"

"Then she can live with my twoleg," Tigger interrupted forcefully, "She loves cats, and she'll have two again. She'll never starve under my twoleg's care and Chess will make sure she's happy. It'll work."

Ajax looked down at his paws, his mind crowded with all the ideas and possibilities. _Could it really work? Yes. Yes, I think it could. It could actually work... _He pictured them at the balcony, saying their good-byes forever before he dashed off to the unknown. He could feel a pang of envy for them, and hurt. They'd be with each other while he'd be all alone again. They'd be happy and he'd be all to his lonesome in some strange place and Tigger would be dead.

_It hurts to lose the ones you care about, you might as well live care-free if you were alone all your life. _But he knew them, and there was nothing he could do about it now.

"Are you sure it would work?"

"Yes." There was no doubt in Tigger's voice. _You were always over-confident._

"My twoleg might take you too," the dark tabby continued with enthusiasm. "She'd really like you, I think."

"Don't think so," Ajax meowed, "Living the kittypet life just isn't more me. Besides, even if she does let me stay, it's The Needle I'd be getting to in just a few days."

"The Needle?"

"Something that the strays talk about. Twolegs take cats and dogs inside," he gave him a sideways look, "And they never. Come. Out."

"But why do they call it The Needle?" Tigger asked incredulously.

"Who knows," Ajax's reply was nonchalant. "But the point is, are you sure she'll take Twist also? What if she's already replaced you two with other cats by now?" Tigger hesitated before replying this time, as if the idea hadn't actually occurred to him.

"She didn't replace _me_ right away, so she wouldn't replace Chess like that either. And she will take Twist in. She needs two cats."

Ajax paused, thinking everything over. It was a risky plan, but the only one that ensured a happy ending for every cat. _Well, every cat except for Tigger... unless being guilt-free counts as a happy ending._

He heaved an exasperated sigh as he stared past Tigger and out to the junkyard. It was never really a beautiful or pleasing sight, but it was someplace familiar to him. His home. He'd lived here since he was just a little kit, striking out on his own with nobody on his side. It was a crammed and strange-smelling little place, but it was _his_ place.

He couldn't really imagine leaving the rusty old dump for good, but just the thought of it sent stings of longing in his heart. He closed his eyes for a moment. _Tigger, you dung-head. It's all going to change now, everything._ _I'll have to leave this place forever. But what's done is done. I might as well go now though. I mean, s__ooner or later, it'll have happen and there's nothing else to do._

"I guess I'm in," he said flatly.

"That's great!" Tigger beamed, his meow full of triumph.

"I'll go tell them," Ajax said softly as he padded towards the exit, the cushions creaking under every step.

"One thing, though."

"What _now_?"

"Chess can't know about this plan, and neither can Twist," Tigger said authoritatively. Ajax just remained silent, looking at him in a noiseless urge to continue.

"If he knew I was going to die, he would never let me go. He'd rather die. And as for Twist, well," he paused, "She'd probably be nervous about the thought of living without you to help her through things."

"He'd rather _die_? What do you mean he'd rather _die_?" Ajax snorted, "Does he need you _that_ much?"

"It's not that he needs me. It's just that..." the kittypet paused and looked upwards, as if he'd never actually pondered the logic behind such motives, "It's just that if he knows that I'm not coming back, he'd rather risk looking for me than returning home without me."

"Really?" _All you crazy kittypets and your "kin" thing are certainly a strange bunch. Based on their thinking, it's no wonder they rarely last a few days on their own!_

"Fine then," the stray meowed, "I'll talk to you about this later, before we actually start this insane scheme of yours."

"Alright." Tigger was already heading out the exit now, his mission complete.

"And Tigger," Ajax called as the dark tabby passed him by. The kittypet stopped in mid-step, turning around to face him.

"... You're not half bad," the stray continued with a slight purr, "... for a kittypet."

* * *

**So what did you think? I admit to stealing some of Ajax's quotes from The Lion King. And as for The Needle, well, I guess an animal shelter would seem kind of like a "House of Death" to strays, since so many of them are put down there. :(**

**Ajax wouldn't really know why it's called that name, though. I mean, I figured that there were horror stories about that sort of stuff in their world, so surely there'd be some rumors about some deadly needle or something. **

**Anyways, please REVIEW and tell me what you think about the chapter or the story in general. It doesn't have to be long or short, positive or negative, just so long as it's honest. I really appreciate any advice, suggestions, questions, constructive criticism, ideas, etc. that any of you guys have.**

**Thanks for reading. :)**


	13. Abandonment

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GAH! I'm so so so so so so so so so so (takes a deep breath) SO sorry I haven't updated in like, a month and a half. I was having serious issues with writers block and I had a couple deadlines to finish up for my other story. But guess what, I've taken time off my Redwall fic to focus on this one. So thank you to everyone who's still reading this story. I'm really sorry for making you wait this long for this. But you know what, at least I'm going to really try to be more consistent. So thanks for all your patience. :)

**Special thanks to all who reviewed since I last updated: Jarrtail, Flyingchicken, Tinselpool, Kylyn, Lightwatcher, Foeseeker, Martin the Warrior, and Swiftpaw of Windclan. I would be especially grateful if any of you loyal readers are still reading this at all, after the huge gap between chapters. XP Again, sorry.**

**And also, thank you very much to my awesome Beta Readers: Cinnamonpool and Tinselpool. Seriously, the first draft of this chapter was a boring mess, and you're now reading the third edition. So yeah, this chapter was kind of a challenge to me. I hope you like it. Enjoy!**

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* * *

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**Abandonment**

* * *

"I just don't understand it," Chess meowed as he curled his tail protectively around himself, looking down desolately at his paws. "I mean, Tigger has always been the hyper crazy cat, but he'd never do anything to drag _me _into this. I don't even know if he's the same cat anymore."

"Maybe- maybe you should just go ahead and talk to him," his companion suggested. "You know, let him know how you feel about all of this."

The kittypet only sighed and looked at her. She wasn't much to look at, plain-looking unlike the other primp little kittypets he'd seen. She was quite scrawny too, like she'd never had a decent meal in her life, her eyes were a sad green, and most depressing about her was the horribly twisted back leg that forced her to limp wherever she went. _Whoever gave her her name was never creative. Only cruel. It must've been that rude stray earlier._

"No," he moaned, "I can't go and see him. He's probably just mad at me for yelling at him the way I did."

"Then just don't talk to him then," Twist replied simply, taking a small step forward. "Maybe he just needs some time to think things through."

"Oh, but he's _so stubborn_," he replied, "He'd never admit to being wrong first. We'd never fought like _that_ before."

"But if you two got along as well as you said before, then your bond is strong enough that it won't break over a little fight or anything like that."

"But I'm still mad at him," the kittypet sulked. He looked down into the murky puddle on the ground, staring back at his reflection. The strange cat in that other world stared back at him. It bothered Chess, how this cat seemed so fat, yet strangely scrawny at the same time; how its fur was fluffed up on ends and had wispy cobwebs plastered all over it. It looked disgusting.

"And he's always the one that causes trouble," Chess said angrily, staring at the desolate figure of himself, "I would like to live my days sunning myself in front of a window instead of spending them in this empty place." He paused, waiting for comforting words from the she-cat, but she didn't reply. Ignoring that, he simply continued whether anyone was listening to him or not.

"I mean, he was the cat that everyone liked the best. Our twoleg liked him best, even though he always gave her trouble. He was every twoleg's favorite. Even our mother and littermates liked him best. I mean... I don't really remember that much about them in the first place, but he was born first and was the strongest and everything! Wasn't that enough for him that they played with him most? I tried to be more like him all the time, but I gave up when I realized that I couldn't be the strong, playful, adventurous kit that everyone liked. I learned to be perfectly content just as things were, so why couldn't _he_ be happy?"

He took the time to swipe at the puddle, watching as the reflection broke, bobbing up and down before it settled back to the image of the pathetic kittypet again. He looked nothing like his brother. He didn't have the curious spark in his eyes or the coarse dark fur. The only thing they had in common were the amber eyes, yet even those were different. His weren't the same sharp golden quality to it.

"Can't he just be happy just to be fed and loved?" he muttered darkly, "Why's he always got to land himself in danger? Doesn't he ever think of anyone other than himself?"

"Sometimes." The voice jolted him.

"T-tigger?" he spun around. The dark tabby was sitting almost directly behind him and Chess felt himself flare with embarrassment. _How did he sneak up on me like that?_ And w_hy didn't Twist warn me?_ He looked past his brother's shoulder and saw her sitting there, just watching him. He sent her a glare that he hoped look furious before he confronted his brother.

"What do you want now?" he asked, his voice hardening.

"You know, I never really meant for this whole thing to turn out this way," his brother said slowly, focusing his eyes on his paws as he knocked an invisible dustball around. "I just thought it would be like an adventure. I wasn't really thinking in the first place." Chess pricked his ears, not quite convinced.

"Really?"

"I really did love being out of that tiny little twoleg nest," he replied, some of his former spark returning to his eyes. "I love being able to go wherever I want to go. And I _love_ having a choice, knowing that there's an entire world out there to explore and discover." He looked past Chess's shoulder, nodding, as if a new horizon were opening up to him right there.

"Well, then stay out in this cold, dreary, monster-infected place," he snapped back, jolting Tigger from his fantasies. "Have some fun being ripped apart by savage cats that are diseased and deranged! Have fun _dying_ without me!"

At that, Tigger allowed his ears to droop a bit. "I uh..." he began again, staring down at his paws as if they were really that interesting. "I did love it, but I didn't want to be all alone. I was worried about you to, wondering if I'd ever see you again. Believe me... I really did like our home and I wanted stay there for the rest of my life but..." He trailed off there, his shoulders hunched up as his tail tapped an aggitated rhythm on the ground.

"But what? You suddenly started liking getting into trouble? Being chased just a whisker's length from your life?"

"_No_," Tigger insisted, "It's just that I discovered that there's more to life if we could just get out of this twoleg nest. You know, some place where we could do whatever we want, be near other cats that love freedom just as much as I do. And that's when I didn't want to go through it alone. I wanted you to come with me. I _needed_ you to come with me."

Chess simply looked the other way, trying his best to look furious. But it was difficult. It was flattering, really, how some cat as strong and brave as his brother would actually need him- the constantly-hungry, soft kittypet.

"It was..." Tigger continued, moving in front of Chess face so he was forced to pay attention. But the grey cat merely turned away again, his nose pointing at the air as Tigger continued to apologize in a stretched voice that hinted frustration. "It was completely my fault. I was selfish and I'm... I'm sorry, _alright_? I just said I was _sorry_."

Chess's ears twitched slightly before he turned back to his brother. Initially, he had fixed Tigger with a glare, though his anger must've somehow melted, for his expression softened. His brother just seemed so confused and awkward, and unsurprisingly, Chess found it impossible to stay mad at his brother when he was this way.

"It's alright Tigger," he purred, rubbing his head against his brother's shoulder affectionately. "What you did was bone-headed, but we could get out of this. We can probably fix things. Can't we?" Tigger hesitated.

"I'll fix things," he promised with a shine of rough determination, "I'll do whatever I can to get everything back to normal, no matter what." At that, Chess changed the topic, seeing that there was really no point in discussing this if they really didn't have a plan. Just talking about it right now could destroy the now-fragile bond between them.

"Did you... hear everything I said?" Chess asked shyly, looking down.

"Every word," Tigger answered, resting his tail on his brother's shoulders. "Though I had no idea you felt this way."

"Well," the grey cat meowed good-naturedly, "You never really think about any cat other than yourself."

"I think about you. You _are_ my brother, after all."

Chess tilted his head a bit, a exhaling a worried sigh. "Thank you. But, are you alright? You're not acting like yourself."

"I'm not?" His eyes widened slightly at that.

"I don't think so," Chess meowed, "The Tigger I know doesn't just apologize out of nowhere like this. The Tigger I know is stubborn and proud... and easily offended, loud-mouthed, hyperactive, craving attention, playfully obnoxious, and-"

"I get the point," the dark tabby hissed indignantly, jerking his head so that he faced the other way.

With a sigh, they shared a moment's silence between them, allowing it to fester as they stared at the hard gravelly ground.

"I suppose I've changed a bit since I left," Tigger rasped before he cleared his throat, "It was hard... living all on my own, constantly threatened by Blood Clan, convinced I just might be killed in the cold."

"Which reminds me," Chess said quietly, finally looking his brother in the eye, "You never told me what happened. Why you left or what you went through. I was so worried about you the entire time."

"I know," Tigger nodded, swiping a pink tongue over his mouth, "It feels like forever ago."

"You want to tell me about it?"

"It's a long story."

"We've got all the time we need."

"A _very_ long story."

"I'm your brother," Chess said, his voice edging on impatience, "You could at least tell me what you went through after all that time I wasted worrying about you."

The dark tabby flicked an ear as he heaved a submissive sigh. "Alright. I guess it all started with Ajax at the window..."

* * *

The sun was setting now, turning the world to rust as it dipped into the horizon. The brothers had been talking all day, almost as if nothing was wrong. It seemed as though their broken relationship had mended, it's strength renewed to its former strength.

They shared the day together, just the two of them. Twist watched them from a safe distance, not wanting to intrude. She'd only be an interruption, after all.

Instead, the she-cat had hunkered down on top of one of the monsters, watching the brothers gambol about and talk. It was amusing to her, how they forgot all the worries between them. At first, she was consoling the newcomer, listening to him spill his confusions out in front of her. And then when Tigger came along, she decided to step back and let them handle their problems themselves. And somehow, they had gotten along much better than she anticipated.

And yet, she couldn't help but feel a tug of envy as she watched them. She could only vaguely remember her kin. They were shadows in her mind, tiny squeaky indiscernable voices and a scent of milk. That was it.

She shook the thought from her mind as she heard the sound of approaching pawsteps.

"They're still at it, huh?" the red stray commented, a look of aggitation on his face. He was talking to her again. She suspected as much. It wasn't the only time he 'abandoned' her to fend for herself.

"They've been at it all day," she meowed, stretching her legs as far as they would go.

"Kittypets," Ajax huffed. _And are you feeling the same as me, Ajax? Envy?_ But she knew better than to waste her time with that question. He was always too proud to admit to weaknesses, especially envy. He was a cat that took whatever he had and made the best of it, never whining or complaining.

"Makes me wonder what it would be like to be a kit again," she said as she swiped a tongue on her shoulder. She was curious. _Just what would he say to that?_

"Who knows?" he muttered, stalking off. But oddly, he wasn't padding back to his empty old monster. Instead, he was approaching Tigger, the tip of his tail twitching nervously. Tilting her head to the side, Twist observed the oncoming confrontation. _Is he mad at Tigger again? They're probably going to fight again, aren't they?_

But just as the stray had let his presence known, the kittypet stood his ground, giving his rival a methodical look before he turned to his worried brother. He said some quick words and licked him on the ear before running out of sight, though she thought she saw him give one sad look behind.

_Odd,_ she thought to herself, _He seemed much more like the fighting type. Why would he run away from the fight? And why does Ajax seem so bothered? _And then she stole a glance at the grey kittypet's direction, wondering what was on his mind. He looked confused at the moment, and scared. At that instant, it was as if a shadow had been cast over her, a dark feeling of foreboding forming in her stomach. Something was coming- she was sure of it.

"Ajax?" she meowed.

"Come on," he said gruffly, flicking a tail to the battered mesh fence, "We're going somewhere." Immediately, she and Chess gave him a shocked stare, the silence deafening.

"Y..." the words snagged in her throat, "You mean we're leaving the junkyard?"

"No," he said impatiently, "We're going to get that dung-head Tigger back before he does something stupid to kill us all. Now _come on_." At that, he stalked off, his tail snapping in the air.

"Then why do you need us?" she asked, glancing at the grey kittypet that stared at them with large round eyes. "You can get him yourself, can't you?" she asked in a softer voice that actually suited what she felt about the whole situation.

"Just come on," he urged, disappearing at a turn.

"But Ajax, what are we doing?" But the stray wasn't about to turn back around and start explaining things to her- about Tigger leaving, about going somewhere, about _anything_.

_For a loner, he sure does like to play leader, _she thought to herself as she noticed the kittypet slink away as well. Without his brother by his side, it was as if his former self was gone so that obedience and fear were all that was left. With a worried sigh, she hobbled after them, taking her time as she did so.

_And that Chess kittypet isn't even polite enough to wait for me._

She looked back at the sad-looking monsters, all of them either dead or as broken as she was. Over the seasons, she'd grown to feel like she fit in with them, these poor rejected beings. _I wonder how they feel when they watch us? Do they envy us because we can leave this place whenever we want?_

She turned another corner and there were her companions, anticipating her late arrival.

"Nice of you to keep me waiting," Ajax said with a sense of cold and calm, though he seemed less collected than he sounded. "Follow me."

"But where are we going?" she asked again, this time sounding desparate. He just padded forward, not even bothering to look back at her. "We're leaving this place... aren't we?" she asked, hear voice wavering.

"We have to go."

"But what about Tigger?" Chess piped up, his voice shrill. "I thought we're looking for Tigger. How will he find us?"

"We've got a plan, now _move!_"

In response to that, the kittypet leaped backward, tail bristling in the air. His eyes narrowed, Ajax jerked his head to the side, an indication that they _had _to follow. Hesitantly, mostly out of fear rather than actual respect, Chess followed. Twist, however, allowed herself the liberty to linger before she hobbled after them and out through the gate, wondering what lay ahead.

* * *

Elsewhere, Tigger skulked in the shadows, sides pressed close against the wall while his ears stayed pricked and attentive. There were those undeniable hums of monsters running past, and the senseless twoleg chatter was prevalent in the air as they strutted down the stony roads. Cautiously, Tigger scanned the area, keeping himself concealed behind the corner. _No cats. Good._

He felt relief wash over him as he padded into the light, constantly looking over his shoulder as if some cat could just materialize out of thin air. But then again, he should never underestimate his enemies. After all, their senses were hightened into a fine point, they had a lifetime's worth of battle experience, they were swift and agile, and most of all, they came in numbers. At that thought, Tigger couldn't help but cringe as he imagined what they would do to him when he got caught. No doubt they would subject him to torture before they sliced his throat open with those dog fangs that they'd decorated their claws with.

_No. They won't get me like that. _The dark tabby squared his shoulders, his eyes flashing in that roguish determination of his. _I'm not going down without a fight. If I get killed, it's through battle and nothing less._

But whatever glorious swell of courage he'd found in that moment, the following thought had washed it away. _But I could just walk out of here right now. And nothing could ever happen._ He remembered sounding so brave, so proud when he had first proposed the idea to Ajax, but now it seemed like just talk. He was so sure of himself back then, but now... now he was all alone, knowing he was about to die.

It was tempting, the thought of running away to live and find his own life. He stopped for a moment, thinking about all he still had to live for. He was still young, strong, and he was fully capable of living a free life. He was special, as Hawkfrost had told him. He had warrior's blood in his veins. Should he really throw it all away?

But then he remembered his brother, who was scared and soft, desparate for the warmth and comforts of the kittypet life. Immediately, Tigger felt ashamed for even contemplating escape. He could get away from the Blood Clan cats, but he certainly wouldn't escape any guilt if Chess got hurt. _And what kind of warrior would that make me, running away?_

He turned his head once more, flinching for a second as he saw a shadow shift in the alley. Slowly, Tigger let his hackles lie flat against his neck again, realizing that he was only seeing things. They could be anywhere at the moment, watching his every move and he wouldn't even know it. He swiped his tongue over his lips, checking over his shoulder again. _Nothing._ He sighed, lowering his head as he quickened his pace, his tail twitching behind him. _Just a little farther. I just have to catch their attention where they're far away from the junkyard. I have to give Chess a good chance of making out of this alive._

He felt the icy claws of fear rake his heart again, forcing him to convulse in a shiver. He slowed his strides, pressing himself closer to the walls as he avoided the forest of twoleg limbs carelessly coming his way. With a sigh, he looked up, noticing that there were no stars to inspire courage in him anymore. He was all alone.

_If I do this, even though I'm not really a warrior, could I join Star Clan? Is it worth dying for? _He clenched his jaw slightly, feeling his shoulders tighten. _Of course it is! Warriors live by their codes, as I'm living mine. It's what a warrior does- die for his kin._

This new revelation fresh in his mind, repeating over and over again, Tigger found the trek to be shorter and less disturbing. It was as if his paws had a mind of their own, constantly moving forward, neither stopping nor slowing. He didn't know exactly which path he was going towards, but he knew that he was at least distancing himself from Chess and the rest of them. He was fulfilling that part at least. And seeming as there were no clan cats out on the prowl, it was likely he would continue doing that for a little while longer.

* * *

"Try harder," Ajax hissed down at her.

_But it's no use. I'll never get out of the tunnels. I can't make that jump._ She bit back a complaint as she pressed her stomach to the cold damp floor, her tail lashing into the air. Glaring up at the exit, she narrowed her eyes, trying to hone her focus on the ledge.

"_Rrrrragh!_" She leapt up, feeling her front paws scrape against the target as her back legs tore at the wall, scrabbling to push her up so she could finally get out. But it was useless. She gasped as she felt her twisted leg give way, making her land awkwardly on her paws, still in the dark.

"Are you alright?" Chess called down before Ajax hissed at him to be quiet. She saw the stray's vague silhouette turn its head, scanning the area for enemies. They had been lucky thus far, having braved the cramped and troublesome tunnels without so much as a whiff of Blood Clan. Well, a _fresh_ one, anyways. It had scared them badly when they smelled them, sensing that they were here not too long ago, probably exploring before they got lost in the web of paths.

Ajax and Chess reeked of fear scent, but she couldn't complain since she didn't fare much better. It was understandable, their fear. Once, Ajax thought he heard something and bolted, leaving her alone with Chess as she counted her heartbeats. And another time, Chess suggested going back even though Ajax told them they were halfway to the exit. It was the clan scent that was driving their fear. It only showed them just how far those blood-thirsty cats would go just to dominate. The realization of it all only added to their urgency and their utter defeat. How much longer would it have taken before they understood the passages completely? Half a moon perhaps? And how long until there was nowhere left to hide? Perhaps a few days past a half moon. _There really is no choice for us._

"Come on," Ajax urged, sticking his head through the hole. "By the time you get out of there, those mangy flea-furs would be chewing on my bones. Hurry up!"

"But it's so hard," she meowed, backing away as she prepared for another spring.

"Just do it!"

And she did. Once again, she'd only managed to smack against the stony ledge, gasping at the impact. But she ignored the pain as she dug her claws into the ground, clawing forward as her back paws pushed against the walls. And once again, she felt herself slide backwards as her crippled leg collapsed under the strain. Her claws still unsheathed, she writhed to keep herself above, if only for an instant longer.

"Go'thya!" came the muffled voice as she felt an upward tug on the back of her neck. She panicked, struggling feebly in discomfort as another set of jaws latched itself on her scruff, unceremoniously yanking her out of the hole. She grunted softly as she felt her soft belly press against a tight corner, but after that, it was over. The pain was gone and all three cats were panting.

_Fresh air._ That was the first thing Twist looked forward to once she was out of those moldy wet sewers, but the scent here was just _awful_. It wasn't like the junkyard that smelled of metal and oil. It was cramped where she was and the stench was more of dung and rot than anything else. She heard Chess wheeze slightly, crawling away. Holding her breath, she followed him, squeezing her way through until there was nothing pressing down on her from above. She got out eagerly, stretching her limbs as she breathed deeply. She glanced back at where she came from, realizing that she was under those huge twoleg waste boxes. _Twolegs should do every cat a favor and bury their waste like they're supposed to?_

"Unless you want to be clawed, keep moving," Ajax said gruffly, brushing right past her. She glanced at the kittypet, wondering how he was handling the journey. To her surprise, he didn't seem quite as shaken as she predicted. _He's lived the soft life since he was born and he's still better than me._

"Let's get going," he muttered to her as he followed after the stray. She hurried after them, feeling her useless back leg pulse with every step. She wanted to stop, but she'd already hindered them long enough. She sucked her breath in as she saw the billions of blinking lights flash on the twoleg nests, crowds of towering twolegs strutting about the streets while the live and healthy monsters obediently kept to their own paths, zooming forward at deadly speed. She flattened her ears as she padded after her companions, wishing they would maybe slow down just a little.

She lowered her head in a non-threatening pose as she passed the twolegs, slinking along as those strange creatures dismissed her presence completely. But even as she did this, she couldn't help but drink in the sights and smells of the place. At one nest, she smelled the most delicious aroma that was unknown to her, and in another, it there was a tantalizing scent of meat. Here and there, the monsters rushed by, some of them having the strangest growling sounds she had ever heard.

She didn't belong here. She wanted to go home, to that rusty junkyard where she was always guarded and safe. But here, it was so cold and she felt so lost. But just what was she doing here anyways? Looking for Tigger? _Ajax wouldn't drag us both with him just to find some kittypet. It's just some poorly-attempted excuse. A lie. But what are we really doing here? Just where are we going exactly?_

"Chess?" she asked softly, wishing to break the thin silence that isolated her.

"Yes?" he responded, sparing her a backward glance before he nearly walked right into a twoleg.

"What did Tigger say to you right before he left?" she asked, a small inkling of realization seeping into her stomach. The kittypet lowered his ears, letting them droop just a little as he closed the widening gap between him and Ajax. She heard him mumble something she couldn't discern.

"What?" she mewed gently.

"He told me he was going to find a way to fix everything back to normal, no matter what happens... He told me he'd come back and that... and that he loves me," he replied, his voice hoarse before it hardened to something more bold and convinced, "He said he'd come back, so he will." Now his tail was dragging on the ground as he followed after the red stray. At first, she felt a surge of aggitation at Ajax, keeping the cold truth from the naive little kittypet- _that poor naive little kittypet that would believe any ruse_... _He doesn't know then. He doesn't know his brother's as good as dead. I wish I got to at least know him better._

Suddenly, she felt her face collide with something soft and furry. She flinched back, her eyes wide as she saw Chess skitter forward a bit. She mumbled an incoherent apology while she craned her neck, trying to see why he'd suddenly stopped. And there, right in front of them with his tail curled leisurely around his paws was their guide. That was the first thing she noticed.

The second thing that came to her attention was actually the tall twoleg nest right behind him, all aglow with those strange rectangular lights, uncountable monsters resting in front of it.

"What's wrong?"

The red stray swiped his pink tongue over his lips, his eyes narrowing in a sage-like manner. "This is where your journey ends."

* * *

Tigger could feel imaginary eyes pricking in his skin, watching him, boaring into him to find weaknesses. He knew it. But every time he looked behind him, there was nothing but twolegs and the stench of monsters. No matter how hard he tried to suppress it, the ever-present dread was sapping away at his nerves. Again, he recalled Hawkfrost's words on the warrior code, hoping to draw strength from that once again.

But he was deeper into Blood Clan territory now, far past the point of no return. Suddenly, a new scent washed over him, invading his nostrils. Eyes widening, the kittypet raised his nose, parting his mouth to taste the smell once more. It was more of a stench than an actual scent, something that reeked of danger and blood. Something vile and full of ill-intent.

_Blood Clan._

He wasted no time, identifying the source to be coming from his left. _Here it comes. Be brave, Tigger,_ he told himself, willing him to stand his ground no matter how frail his legs were feeling. _Do it for Chess. You're a warrior. This is the right end. The honorable end._

The scent was stronger now, sending his heart to a stuttering pulsation that made his ears throb with every beat. Instinctively, Tigger lowered his head, unknowingly tucking his tail between his legs. His eyes large and glassy, he stared ahead at a shadowy alley, waiting for his future torturers to reveal themselves. They were shadows now, moving in slowly as if they didn't yet notice him.

But that made his heart beat even faster as he switched his gaze between the alley and his surroundings, constantly looking for a potential hiding place. Every single one of them looked promising. But best of all was the silver twoleg waste box sitting at the side of those gigantic nests. It was wide open, its stench probably strong enough to mask his scent. The kittypet leapt forward, hesitating as he glanced behind his shoulder. _Warriors don't hide. They fight._ His claws slid out of their sheaths, clutching at the rough ground.

But the ominous shape wasn't just a shadow now. It was a cat- no, two of them. And even from the distance, Tigger could see the sharp remnants of their defeated foes twinkling in the sickly twoleg lights.

And then he began to have second thoughts, his legs trembling as he desparately fought the urge to summon some courage- any emotion other than fear. But no matter how hard he tried, doubt conquered.

_Oh no..._ _I can't stand to fight _them_. I have to get out of here right now. I have to hide. I have to hide._ Instantly, his insides turned to jelly as he dashed up to the waste box with panic, clambering in clumsily.

_Whoosh._ The strange objects inside fluffed at the impact of his ungainly landing, sending wafts of foul smelling air into his nose. But he didn't care, he just wanted to hide- to get away from _them_. With all haste, he kicked his back legs, trying to get himself inside before any cat saw him. At first, it seemed that he had a hope, but then he felt some force tugging back at him, his whiskers bending as the world began to reel and turn.

_**CRASH!**_

That was the single loudest sound Tigger had ever heard in his life. The next thing he knew, he was sprawled on the floor, the random assortment of twoleg waste scattered about him. He sprang to his paws, holding his breath as he saw the patrol staring back at him in shock that was only equal to his. But that shock soon morphed into disgust and then hatred as the shadowy cats advanced on him, flexing their claws.

Immediately, Tigger knew there was no more hiding once they had his scent. He was going to run now, run or die an unbearable death. And then he raced away, feeling his tail snap against the wind as his legs surged with power and energy. But although he felt as if he was running as fast as any cat possibly could, he could hear the enemy a whisker length behind him, their rank breath on his neck. And as much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't chance looking back.

The world seemed to be whisking right past him as he took random turns, his sense of direction already failing him. And then out of the corner of his vision, Tigger spied another figure split from the shadows to join the cats just behind him.

"Oof!" he gasped as he felt a raking impact against his ribs, knocking him sideways. There was a growl as saw a set of dangerous glowing green eyes descend upon him, the cat biting into his shoulder. Shrieking with pained panic, Tigger swung his claws toward his enemy's face, feeling it himself rend flesh as an ear-shattering shriek split the air. And in that instant, Tigger made another break for it. He felt something bump right next to him, forcing him to veer to the side until something else barely landed on him. Gasping, Tigger swerved again, hearing his hunters right behind him, coming ever closer.

There was a call in the air- a yowl that shrieked thirst and blood, a noise answered by savage screeches of agreement in the distance.

"Get that kittypet!"

"Rip him! Claw him!"

"Traitor!"

_Traitor,_ he thought, smiling a grim inward smile. _How could I be a traitor... when I never willingly swore my honor to you?_ He didn't know why he was thinking that now, but at least his last thoughts could be defiant.

_"When they catch you, they will kill you,"_ a voice said with cold certainty, whispering in his ear. Instantly, the dark tabby felt his spirits lift from its heavy weight.

_"Hawkfrost?! Hawkfrost, you have to help me. Tell me what to do!"_

_"We live by the decisions we make, Tigger," _the voice replied solemnly. Tigger hadn't noticed the first time, but the speaker was clearly not Hawkfrost- a stranger's voice.

_"Are you my father?_" he thought, desparation clawing his mind, _"You have to help me._ Please!_ Warriors don't leave their kin to die! You can't leave your son to die!"_

Silence.

And then another voice broke in, a harsh voice with harsh words that was, at the moment of his dire need, the most comforting thing Tigger could've heard. It was a voice booming of both familiarity and authority. Hawkfrost.

_"Live!"_ he hissed, _"Survive no matter the costs!"_

_"I know that already! Any other advice?"_

Silence again.

Finally, Tigger couldn't help it any longer. His father just abandoned him, Hawkfrost was no help, he just _had_ to do something. So he looked behind him, feeling a chill in his spine as he noticed not one, but four cats following close behind him.

With his eyes fixated on the scene behind him, Tigger didn't notice the silver waste can right in front of him.

"Ngh!" He felt the force on his shoulder as he bounced off of it, blindly swerving to the side only to collide against another one.

**_WHAM! CLANG! CRUNCH! _**The whole thing, metal, waste, and all, came crashing down. For some of the clan cats, they were startled into skittering backwards in confusion. But those were the lucky ones. The others, however, were pelted by the rotting twoleg wastes.

And still others managed a more unfortunate outcome, being winded by the heavy metalic blow. The impact was audibly painful, a loud _clang_that rang in the air as they felt the air explode out of them. Exhausted, injured, and humiliated, the cats sat up, gasping and coughing as they recuperated their senses. At that, Tigger found some extra time, widening the gap between them. Feeling his sense of relief, the dark tabby streaked down the alley, leaning forward as he tucked his ears.

"RRrrragh!" he heard a screech from his right and leapt to the side, but his reaction was only a second too late. The clan cat had launched itself from the top of a ledge, the height giving his pounce an extra bit of force that knocked Tigger clear off his balance. He grunted, feeling the air knocked out of his lungs as he hit the cold ground, its rough surface snagging the skin just under his fur.

Tired and smaller than his adversary, Tigger struggled with all the energy he could muster, only to feel a paw stomp on his back, its claws sinking deeper and deeper into his spine, seeking and prodding him for the weakest, most agonizing points. Tigger hissed as he writhed in pain, feeling the cat's claws pierce his skin, drawing blood as its jaws clamped down on the back of his scruff, tugging upward and shaking his head viciously, ripping the consciousness out of him.

The kittypet's memory became a blur, darkness creeping up around the rim of his vision as he felt the hopelessness seep into his system.

_No. Not like this. I can't _die _like this._Tigger rasped a coughing gasp, his claws flailing about harmlessly as his tail thrashed in a furious and desparate manner.

He was pinned, as helpless as a kit. It was over. He lost. He didn't manage to fight 'til his death. No. Instead, all the energy and fight was going to be beaten out of him before his worthless hide was dragged back to Bone. There, he'd meet his torturous end.

* * *

**Tada! *Applause* So what did you think about the ending?**

**Yes... Chess really is a pushover when it comes to his best friend and brother. And as for the chapter title (Abandonment), it kind of pertains to both Tigger and Chess. Chess because his brother left him to save them all, so now he's practically all alone. And Tigger because hey, his "father" (what's up with heroes and finding their dads anyways?) and Hawkfrost abandoned him... well, not really. They're just as powerless as he is in this situation. And as for the strange speaker that really didn't have anything optimistic to add (his "father"), any guesses about who he is? **

**Anyways, so what did you think? Please tell me honestly by clicking the green button on the bottom of the page. Seriously, even the simplest one-word review goes a long way for bringing up a writer's morale. It only takes less than a second, so please do. Any constructive criticism (be as harsh as you want), ideas, suggestions, name suggestions, etc. are much appreciated.**

**Expect the next chapter within a week. Promise this time. :)**

**~Jade TeaLeaf**


	14. The Courage to Live Again

**All right. Told you the next update was going to be faster. :)**

**Special thanks to all who took an extra few seconds of their time to review: Cinnamonpool, Jarrtail, Tinselpool, Flyingchicken, Swiftpaw of Windclan, Martin the Warrior, Guitarprincess, and Rainstorm-Mosspath.**

**And an extra special thanks to Cinnamonpool and Tinselpool for helping me out with this chapter. :)**

**Questions and Answers**

**Jarrtail: Tigger and Sasha had three kits, did they? Well thanks for telling me. I honestly didn't know that. I looked it up on Warriors Wiki and it tells me that Hawkfrost killed the third kit. Kinda creepy how someone so young could be so evil. Though, I don't think they mentioned if it was intentional or not. Anyways, thanks again for the heads-up.**

**Martin the Warrior: Well, in a previous Author Note, I said that someone pointed out that Bone was already dead. So then I told all of my reviewers to please pretened that I didn't make such a dumb mistake. Honestly, there are so many cats, it's kinda hard to keep up with who's dead and whatnot. And yeah, you make a good point with Hawkfrost. I admit, I've been making his motives a little shady, so I decided to insert a little portion into this chapter. Hope you enjoy. Soon, I think you will understand exactly what's going through Hawkfrost's mind.**

**Oh yes, and before I forget: I know it was a little confusing in the last chapter, so sorry 'bout that. But anyways, Tigger heard another voice in his head and he kept thinking it was his father. And _then_Hawkfrost spoke to him. So, Tigger is in that common hero-phase of finding out his father's identity. The poor kid's so confused, I bet he'll practically think everyone's his secret dad. O_O**

* * *

**The Courage to Live Again**

* * *

He remembered when he was so naive and eager for adventure. That was less than a moon ago, but it felt like forever now. And at the moment, he was getting exactly what he wished for. He never imagined that his life would end in this kind of manner. He didn't think of death at all. A fatal mistake.

Now Tigger's eyes rolled frantically as he was cruelly pinned to the ground by the claws of the enemy. He didn't know what he felt more now. Pain or despair? He didn't know why he was thinking even about that at all. It didn't matter. He was going to be dead soon anyways. Feeling his inner fire begin to ebb away, Tigger began closing his eyes, succumbing to defeat. _I won't go down screaming and wailing like some kit, at least._

Even when he wasn't sure if there was a cat to witness something as demeaning as that, Tigger would allow himself to do that. His killer would just gloat and brag about it anyways. And besides, it would completely shatter the silence, allowing every cat within the area to hear his screams. And the windows- the windows looked like eyes that watched him from a safe and uncaring distance.

_Don't show weakness, Tigger. Don't show any weakness at all! _It was only out of pure willpower that he managed to keep himself silent as he writhed.

The light dimmed, casting long shadows as he felt a paw begin to crush at his windpipe. Swallowing back the pain, Tigger clamped his mouth shut, refusing to start going against everything he stood for. He refused to cry and mewl for pity from these ruthless cats. He already went down without much of a fight. He couldn't cause himself more shame.

* * *

_Suddenly, the weight of death seemed to lift off his throat as he felt some floating sensation in his head. Slowly, lazily, as if waking up from a dream that was simply too good to be true, he opened his eyes. At first there was darkness and he couldn't really discern any of the fuzzy shapes that seemed to lean over him. He blinked a couple times, sitting up with a surprising amount of calm. He knew there was something important he should remember, but... what? It was something important. _

Does it have to do with the litterbox? No... did I finish that tuna off before Chess got to it? Chess... something about Chess...

_"Chillpaw," a stern voice growled. _Who's Chillpaw...? Sounds so familiar...?

_"Chillpaw," the voice repeated, the sound cracking the air. "CHILLPAW!" _

_"Huh?" Tigger looked up sharply, nearly colliding noses with Hawkfrost. But if the muscular tabby was startled or felt any emotion about the sudden movement, he didn't show it. His face was set in stone._

_"Chillpaw, what have you done?" he rumbled, his eyes narrowing. _

_"Wha'...?" he shook the light feeling from his head, his mind a blur of muffled voices. He recognized this place. Blearily, he looked at his surroundings, noting the eerie glow of ghostly moonlight glistening on against every blade of grass and leaf, a slight breeze blowing over an earthy scent that filled his senses. He would've taken the time to drink in the moment, but he felt dizzy all of a sudden, flashes going off in his mind as he looked downward, wrinkling his nose._

_"Ugh... what's going on?"_

_"You're _dying, _Chillpaw!" The tabby hissed, pouncing so that the kittypet had to leap backwards._

_"What?! Dying? How can I be dying? How can I... oooohhh..." He clenched his eyes, a sickening jolt roiling about in his stomach as his throat suddenly became dry and itchy. His vision was fading in and out to the beat of his heart and Hawkfrost's face seemed so far away._

_"You just had to do it, didn't you?" he hissed in his ear. Tigger groaned, managing to sit down and balance himself as he fought to at least maintain eye contact. He felt so unfocused, so sick. Weak._

_"Why do I feel so..." he moaned, letting his head droop slightly. His mind was a blur, as if he were under some dark suffocating blanket and he couldn't get out._

_"We had it all planned out," Hawkfrost continued, ignoring his apprentice's pain as his volume climbed higher and higher. "We were going to rule the forest. We waited so long for this and you ruined it! You abandoned your destiny for a a mewling little kittypet and your rogue friends. I thought you would know! I thought you would choose the right decision!" His voice was so sharp, Tigger couldn't bear it any longer. He stepped back, scrunching his face up as he flattened his ears._

_"I don't..." And then the memories came flooding back. Chess, Ajax, Twist, Bone, the tunnels... He gasped as the realization hit him, the queasy feeling in his gut suddenly assuaged as he pieced the information together. He was dead. He was gone. All his dreams, ideas, plans, friends and family... gone. Snuffed out. Just like that._

_"... Dead..." he managed to choke out, feeling his legs begin to quake as if it was suddenly made of mud. "Dead? How can I be dead? Dead? T-they... they killed me, didn't they? Oh no. I'm dead... I'm dead... I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead..." he chanted to himself, feeling his chest heave in and out in a sickening mix of panic and shock._

_"Not yet, anyways," Hawkfrost spat. Tigger's ears pricked at the response. The entire time he was adjusting to the very idea of death, he completely forgot that his mentor was even there at all. And from what he just said, Tigger could feel some hope suddenly come flooding back to his heart. _

_"What do you mean?" he breathed._

_"You're dying, Chillpaw," he repeated impatiently, his voice sounding heavy. "You're not dead just yet but... but it's over now. It might as well be. And there's no going back anymore. This was the only chance." With that, he looked up, his eyes blazing along with his volume. "And your stupid naivity just ruined it all!" Suddenly, rather than confusion, Tigger felt some new energy surge up within him. He stood up on all fours, his tail bristling as he growled at his mentor._

_"What are you screeching about?" he hissed back, digging his claws in the soft ground. "I'm _dead _and all you can talk about are plans and dung? What is the matter with you?! What kind of mentor does that?! You talk about honor and the warrior code and everything like you live by it, and now you're no better than that stinking Blood Clan! You LIAR!" At the end of his outburst, Tigger found himself staring at a pair of startled blue eyes rather than the angry slits he anticipated. But that surprised expression vanished in a heartbeat and Tigger had to struggle to hold his ground as Hawkfrost pushed himself forward so that they were practically nose-to-nose._

_"You have no idea of the circumstances, Chillpaw," he grated. "You have no idea what was in store for you. What you are and what you should've become. What you were meant to be!"_

_For some reason, he didn't feel so ill anymore. At first, it was a struggle just to get up, but now he felt strength returning to his senses again. The shock of his death ebbing away, Tigger flicked his ears forward, willing himself to stare at his reflection in Hawkfrost's piercing blue eyes. It was a oblong image, his head and eyes looking completely out of proportion. It made him look almost like a kit. But he ignored that thought as the barely-suppressed anger stoked inside him._

I may have disappointed Hawkfrost- for whatever stupid reason that is- but I'm the one who's dead, _his voice echoed in his mind. _I'm the one that's lost everything now. And all he cares about are his plans for me? Puh! What is he, some kind of leader? He's the one that's supposed to be supporting me for my bravery. He's the one that was supposed to give me advice other than "Live and survive whatever the cost!" ... a lot of good that one did for me. He's the one disappointing me. He's the one who should be sorry.

_But before he could open his mouth to spew all his hatred and loss out on his mentor, Hawkfrost turned away briskly. He moved so quick, his tail nearly snapped at Tigger's nose. For that, Tigger gave him a sharp glare._

_"HEY! You dumb mousedung! I still have some things to-"_

_"Just be quiet and die already," Hawkfrost interrupted. "Just die so you can finally understand. Just die so you can remember."_

_"What are you talking about?" he snorted, his teeth bared. He didn't want to sound as shocked as he felt. He couldn't let Hawkfrost see the confusion. But his resolve broke as another question entered his mind._

_"Wait..." he said in a wavery voice. "I'm still alive after all this time? But... I must be dead by now..."_

_"Ignorant," the tabby hissed. "Time passes by differently here while your life is being strangled from you by some fat rogue."_

_"So I'm..." Tigger swallowed, giving the slightest of nods. "... Still alive? Maybe I'll..."_

_"You won't live! These cats have no intention to show you any mercy. So as I said before, just die and..."_

_Tigger felt a faint roaring in his ears as he saw surprise seep into Hawkfrost's eyes. Tigger opened his mouth to say something, but for some reason, he couldn't find the strength to do anything. He was practically frozen! _

_Panicking once again, Tigger gasped inwardly as desparation won over him. He fought to do something- anything- even if it meant calling out to Hawkfrost. But even his mentor didn't seem to have any idea what to do. He just sat there, his eyes growing large as the world around him, from the shadowy trees to the smallest blade of darkened grass, seem to fade to light. And soon, to his horror, Tigger witnessed Hawkfrost dematerialize right in front of him, as if his entire body were made of delicate dust..._

* * *

"Tigger!" a voice called to him.

_"Go away Hawkfrost... you... gnh... aren't any help..."_

"TIGGER!"

_"At least I died bravely in battle..."_

"GET UP!" But that voice was different. It was a familiar voice, but one that he couldn't recall straightaway; nor was it a voice like Hawkfrost's, a voice that echoed about his ears in whispers. It was a real voice, a _living_ voice.

"Huh?" His eyes popped open at the realization.

"TIGGER! GET UP AND RUN OR ELSE I'LL KILL YOU!" Instantly, the heavy weight was jerked off of him in a series of furious hisses and shrieks. It should've been liberating, if only the two cats weren't fighting right on top of him. He felt himself being buffeted this way and that, the air pushed out of him amidst the forceful pounces. Groaning, Tigger inhaled audibly, gulping air greedily as if someone was going to take it all from him. He let out a hoarse rasping cough after that, his entire body racking as he stayed low to the ground. It felt as if there was something lodged at the back of his throat, snagging at every breath. Now fully awake, Tigger dashed out of the fray and onto the end of the alley, panting from exhaustion, severely weakened.

He looked behind him, his eyes wide as he saw another lithe form racing towards him. But instead of fear, he felt shock at first, and then recognition and relief. It was only his rescuer.

"Tabs," he whispered, completely dumb-founded. He wanted to pounce on her in a loving embrace for what she did for him, but their happy little reunion was very short-lived.

"_Move, _furbrain!" she hissed, practically ramming into him. He leapt back in surpise as she zipped past him, not a hint of slowing down. He twisted his head around, witnessing a smaller group of cats coming towards him. Feeling his heart catch in his throat, he ran forward, hoping that she wasn't thinking about leaving him behind. He couldn't afford to lose the only ally he had in this madness.

With all the remaining energy he could muster, Tigger raced forward his eyes on the white and grey figure in the distance. She was so far ahead, so many pawsteps farther from the pursuers than he was. _And just why is she helping me? I know she's a friend, but why would she even put her life on the line for me? We hardly know each other._

Those thoughts drove circles in his mind as he chased after her, his heart practically skipping a beat each and every time she disappeared around a corner. It wouldn't be long now before the clan cats would get to them. Even if he did have a guide to help him maneuver around the place, his odds of survival were still incredibly slim.

He heard a screech somewhere in the distance, and the stench of the clan seemed to eminate from everywhere around him- threatening to suffocate him. He turned another corner, hoping he was following Tabs. He was so weak and tired, and she was running so fast, he could just hardly keep up. His breath felt raw in his throat, his lungs searing.

And to his surprise, she was waiting for him, her tail waving impatiently in the air as he caught up to her.

"Hurry up," she said sharply, though her eyes betrayed her concern. "Do you want them to claw you?"

"I don't..." he said breathlessly as he neared her. "Can we make it? I don't think we can out-run them in their territory. And fighting them all isn't an option. I'll get killed- and so will you."

"We'll find a way," she answered, her voice stretched as she ran off again.

_So she doesn't have a plan either? What are we going to do? We can't die. Not yet. I've made it through too much to just get killed like this._

_---_

After a while of crouching in shadows and a couple situations of hiding in those stinking twoleg waste boxes, Tigger found the area clear of Blood Clan. It was as if they'd finally lost their trail and they were now free to move about the twoleg nest- discreetly, of course. But there was no denying that it was safer without them around. But still, even until moon-high, they were still on the run.

It was terrible, dashing to and fro in the giant maze that was the twoleg nest. They meandered through smokey alleys and ran alongside those thunderous, yet dazzling monster paths. And through all those places, they rarely spoke at all, trying to keep their voices down to a minimum. It just wouldn't seem right, anyways. Tigger had nothing much to talk about except for their chances of survival- but that was such a depressing topic and they both already knew the answer.

But there was one other thing that Tigger wanted to ask.

"Tabs?"

"What?" She didn't even look back at him as he padded after her.

"Why did you do that? Why'd you save me? We didn't even know each other much."

She paused, her weary eyes inspecting him as if she were wondering the exact same thing. But after a few heartbeats, her gaze softened and she sighed. "I told you before, haven't I? That you were like a kit? That I didn't want to see you get killed or turn into a killer, like my other kits?"

By then, she'd slowed down enough that Tigger was able to finally fall in step with her. "But I'm not your kit."

"You have no idea what Blood Clan does to us all Tigger," she replied, her voice dry and rasping. "You have no idea what they've done to break the bonds of kin, destroy lives, break spirits." She got back to her original pace, her tail drooping slightly. "I've had enough of it anyways- of my own kits being taken from me. They forgot me, Tigger. The ones that survived forgot all about me and turned on me. I never actually got to say good-bye... and... and I'm tired of pretending like I don't mind losing everyone I've ever loved. I don't want to lose you Tigger. I lost sight of what was dear to me once, and... and you're one of the very last things that matter to me anymore..."

He didn't want to say anything after that. She sounded so miserable, and prying wasn't going to save him anyways. Besides, talking would only slow them down, make them waste time. And it would also catch attention. Quiet once more, they continued their trek, their ears pricked for any sounds of danger and their eyes keen on their surroundings.

They jumped at every noise and peeked around every corner, neither one daring to lose caution even for a second. They were the hunted, and it felt as if they were running and hiding for days. And to worsen that, as long as they were in the vast land that was Blood Clan territory, Tigger didn't see any way the demeaning cycle could end anytime soon. But still, ever since Tabs rescued him, Tigger hadn't actually seen one of the cats yet. But even if his hopes of escape were rising, things were still looking grim.

After all, whenever he asked her for some kind of plan, she had nothing to offer. Even in her, her energy seemed to be wearing as thin and haggard as she was. And whenever he asked her if they were close to the border, she had no idea. She might as well have been just as lost as he was in this area. It wasn't too different from what he saw at the Blood Clan camp, but it smelled different. Their scent wasn't all over the place, for one thing. And they both hoped that was a sign that they were nearing their escape.

_CLANG! Bong... Bong bong!_

They jumped at the resonating metallic noise, whirling around so fast that their necks hurt. And then there was some snickering somewhere close, somewhere in the shadows where they couldn't see. And then they came.

This whole time, Tigger had anticipated something like this. Cats that waited in the darker recesses of this giant twoleg nest simply bided their time, tracking them down slowly. Time wasn't an issue, anyways- not when their prey were lost and all alone. They knew they could be easily cornered.

Some of the cats padded forward, their backs arched while the others hung back loosely, sitting on steps, window sills, and twoleg waste cans.

"Well, well, well..." Tigger heard one purr of amusement amongst the growls. "Looks like we've caught ourselves not one- but _two_ traitors."

Unsheathing their claws, the outlaws raised their hackles and hissed at their hunters as they backed away slowly. It was a futile response, but what else could they do? They were surrounded on three sides, the only direction left being the monster path. But even if they wanted to run to that, it would be some distance.

Uneasy, Tigger chanced a backward glance, noticing how the monsters had stopped in their path, their blank but glaring eyes staring forward as they waited. Was it alright to cross them now? He now wished that Ajax was with them, so he could tell them what to do. But he wasn't. And now did he have to leave everything up to chance?

_C'mon, Tigger. Think. Think before they kill you... what would Ajax have done? He knew more about monsters and twolegs than any other cat I know..._

He didn't know why the memory was so grainy and blurred in his mind. It wasn't even that long ago, but it felt like moons since he'd tossed his dealings in with that stray.

---

_"Let's go," Ajax stepped lightly on the monster path, "It's quite safe, but try not to run." Tigger followed hesitantly while glancing at the monsters, who stood still side by side, watching them walk right past them with widened, white eyes. Tigger instantly felt the fur on his pelt stand on end as one of them made a purring noise and inched foward. He jumped slightly, padding up to Ajax's side as if just by being close, he could share in that fearless confidence._

_Tigger's mind came back to one rumor he'd heard in Blood Clan. According to some, Ajax had gained special favor from the monsters. He was their favorite cat, so they never tried to kill him. Instead, they claimed that he could walk right in front of them and no harm would come to him. Tigger had dismissed it as some old fantasy they wove to instill even more hatred on the stray, yet now he was fully convinced._

_As Ajax promised, they crossed without any harm done to them. And if Ajax wanted to flaunt his bravery or his bond with the monsters, he didn't show it. Instead, he simply continued on his way, still checking on Tigger as if he were some lost, pathetic kit. The idea of that would have infuriated Tigger, but instead, he was more concerned about whatever secrets Ajax held._

_"How did you do that?" he asked, falling in step with his guide, "How did you make the monsters listen to you? You didn't say anything." The calico gave him a confused look._

_"Do what? I didn't tell them anything."_

_"But they stopped for us. You knew they wouldn't even try to turn us into roadkill," Tigger insisted, "What did you do to make them stop?"_

_"I didn't do anything," Ajax answered, flicking his gaze around the twoleg nests, "I simply waited for the right moment." He looked at Tigger, who stared at him expectantly._

_"Monsters are like twoleg pets, I think," he elaborated, "They do whatever the twoleg tells it to. Didn't you ever notice that a monster only wakes up when its twoleg master comes to it?" He looked at Tigger, who merely shook his head._

_"And those color lights are there for a reason, I think," he continued, "I watched them and then I realized that when the lights on the opposite side turn red, the monsters stop so that the other monsters can pass. Once I saw two monsters try to eat each other. Both of them were injured and I think they died. I think that's what the color lights are for, so that the monsters don't fight each other._

_"Green means that they move, and amber lights mean that the monsters are going to stop. I like to think of it as a secret code. The twolegs are amazing, using the monsters and coming up with their own rules, don't you think? ... Did you actually think that I talked to them?" he snorted sarcastically. Instead of retaliating as usual, Tigger just stared ahead, feeling embarrassed by his ignorance._

---

Quickly, Tigger glanced behind once more. He had an idea. It might just kill them, but it might just work.

"Tabs! Come on!" He ran as fast as he could, hoping that she was following after him. She might've, since he heard some angry hisses and shrieks behind him along with the sound of scrabbling paws.

"Tigger! What're you doing?" Tabs hissed as she rammed into his rear end, forcing him to speed up.

"I don't know, but you have to trust me!" he shouted back, his voice seeming to have been drowned out by the gang of cats closing in on him. But he couldn't look back behind him. Not when there was so much at stake. This was a one-time chance and if it was wasted, there was no going back.

"Tigger!" Tab's yowl was caught in a note of desparation.

"Just trust me!" he grunted, his teeth locked together.

But to his horror, his plan was beginning to fall apart. To his right, he saw the lights flash green and the monsters up front were beginning to move again, all restless and wild.

_Vroom! _They roared and the air was filled with their scent, making Tigger's eyes water.

_No! No! They can't! Not when I'm so close! _His vision strayed to the center of his plan- an oddly-shaped red monster that was tall at the front, but wider and shorter in the back. Tigger had seen them before. They were special monsters- the strange ones that carried big twoleg things in the large hole in their backs.

"WAIT!" Tigger screamed as it began lurching forward impatiently, just itching to break free and run. "DON'T GO YET!"

He was so close, so tantalizingly close, yet he wasn't sure if it was going to work or if the monster had heard him at all. For all he knew, the monster might just be ignoring him. After all, why would a huge and powerful creature pay attention to a little kittypet?

"I know I'm just a kittypet," he called out as quickly as the words could form in his mouth. "I know that I don't know you or anything, but we know Ajax. We're his friends. Please! We need to get out of here! You have to help. We just want to ride on your back. It's all we ask!"

And without another sound, skidded on the monster path, his entire body swerving with momentum as he leapt on top of the ridge behind the monster. He gasped as he felt his paws slide against the cold metal. Frantic with fear, Tigger brought his hind legs up, scrabbling to keep his grip. The blinding red light and the smoke wasn't helping either as he panted and pressed his stomach to the side. But with one more tug, he felt his body give in to gravity as he clumsily pitched forward, collapsing on the monster's back.

Upon the impact, his eyes popped open, hoping his plan was right. Suddenly, he felt himself slide backwards as the monster growled. Scared, he skittered into a corner, terrified of the monster's wrath. _I just disturbed it. I just made it angry..._

"Wha-oomph!"

Tigger nearly jumped out of his fur as something flew right over his head and landed with a _thud _right in front of him. Breathless, Tigger stared at it as it recovered from the shock. It turned around, its blue eyes wide and startled as it panted. Tabs.

Without warning, their monster wheeled off and Tabs suddenly bowled into him, nearly knocking the air out of his lungs.

"UGH!" he gasped, as he sucked in through gritted teeth, the wind outside suddenly intensifying to the point where it was buffeting his fur and stinging his face.

"Tabs!" he shouted, his voice sounding drained against the wind. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" she yowled back, though she was yelling into his ear. "Tigger, what is this?"

"We're riding on a monster!" he shouted, distangling himself from her. "We needed to get rid of Blood Clan and this was the only way!"

She said something, but he couldn't hear her past the roar of the monster. "_What_?!"

"I said..." she took a big breath. "Is it SAFE?"

"I've ridden in them before. It's alright. They can't hurt us!"

"WHAT? I can't hear you!"

"IT'S SAFE!" he yelled back, his voice feeling rough and worn. He wasn't exactly sure about that, but there was no point in saying they might get killed. Even if he told her the truth, it wouldn't matter. They would never survive if they jump off the monster. And he doubted they could even move much. The monster's movements and the wind kept it too difficult to even stick his head up to see what was going on.

Against their bitter and unforgiving surroundings, they crouched low, sheltering themselves as much as possible from the rough environment they were in. It was cold and the sky was a blank darkness, and the monster was always rumbling and vibrating uncomfortably. There, they kept quiet, waiting for the creature to stop so they could get off. But where would they be when they're finally able to look out into the world? The heart of Blood Clan territory? Or maybe the outskirts of the Twoleg nest? Tigger had no idea, but it his chances were definately better here than out in the streets.

Finally, after what seemed like an entire day of chilled air and uncontrollable shaking, the wind began to die down as they felt the monster become more still. Tigger sent her a hopeful glance at Tabs as she sat up and she returned that same worried, but anxious look, both of them wishing for the best. And then, cautiously, they put their paws on the rim, their heads peeking out and into the world.

"No," Tigger gasped.

They were still moving, but slower. And they could easily identify the glistening monsters travelling all around them, neither of them sparing them a second glance. And there, somewhere off in the bleak distance, was a large sparkling patch of light. Other than that, the world was just black, nothing existing except for a smattering of lights elsewhere, the biggest monster path they had ever seen, and the countless monsters that tread on it.

"Wha..." Tabs choked.

"What is this place?" Tigger finished, his voice trembling like it belonged to a helpless kit. Never in his entire life did he imagine his world was anything like this. He felt so small and insignificant- so helpless. "What's going on? Where are we?"

He looked back at her, his heart racing madly as it dipped, plunging into a giant, bottomless hole. _Where are we going? How far have we gone? And... and Chess... he'll never know what happened to me. I'll never see him again. We're completely and hopelessly lost- away from everything that was ever familiar or precious to us. Forever._

"What are we going to do?"

* * *

**In case you didn't quite follow, Tigger had a sorta near-death "out of body" experience in the beginning (where Hawkfrost almost revealed all). And towards the end, Tigger and Tabs jumped on the back of a big red truck and are now completely and utterly alone and lost. And what did you think about Hawkfrost's motives and Tab's connection with Tigger? I really enjoyed writing Tab's part.**

**So please review this story and tell me what you think. I want to improve my writing, so any constructive/harsh criticism won't be replied with a "mind your own business" response. Be as "mean" as you want, really. Just as long as you're honest, of course. ^^;**

**Thanks for reading (and/or reviewing)! :D**


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